Intraspecific chemical variability of the leaf essential oil of Juniperus phoenicea subsp. turbinata from Corsica

The composition of 50 samples of essential oil of individual plants of Juniperus phoenicea subsp. turbinata from Corsica was investigated by GC, GC-MS and 13C NMR. [alpha]-Pinene, [beta]-phellandrene, [alpha]-terpinyl acetate, [Delta]-3-carene, myrcene and [alpha]-phellandrene were found to be the main constituents. The results were submitted to cluster analysis and discriminant analysis which allowed two groups of essential oils to be distinguished with respect to the content of [alpha]-pinene, [beta]-phellandrene and [alpha]-terpinyl acetate.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/B6T4R-41TMSRJ-8/1/9a99aea13c1425fdcac449056f51c71

Biological Assays and Chemical Composition of Volatile Oils of Bupleurum fruticosum L. (Apiaceae)

The composition of supercritical CO 2 extracts and essential oils obtained by hydrodistillation of Bupleurum fruticosum L., growing spontaneously in Italy and Portugal, and its antifungal activity is reported. The collected extracts were analyzed by GC-FID and GC-MS methods. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and the minimal lethal concentration (MLC) were used to evaluate the antifungal activity of the oils against Candida albicans, C. tropicalis, C. krusei, C. guillermondii, C. parapsilosis, Cryptococcus neoformans, Trichophyton rubrum, T. mentagrophytes, Microsporum canis, M. gypseum, Epidermophyton floccosum, Aspergillus niger, A. fumigatus and A. flavus

Chemical composition of laurencia obtusa extract and isolation of a new C15-acetogenin

A new C15-acetogenin, sagonenyne (20), exhibiting an unusual single tetrahydropyran ring was isolated from an ethyl acetate extract of Laurencia obtusa collected on the Corsican coastline. Its structure was established by detailed NMR spectroscopic analysis, mass spectrometry, and comparison with literature data. Twenty-three known compounds were identified in the same extract by means of column chromatography steps, using a (13)C-NMR computer aided method developed in our laboratory. In addition to sesquiterpenes, which represent the main chemical class of this extract, diterpenes, sterols, and C15-acetogenins were identified. The crude extract was submitted to a cytotoxicity assay and was particularly active against THP-1 cells, a human leukemia monocytic cell line.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Biopiracy <i>versus </i>one-world medicine – from colonial relicts to global collaborative concepts

Background: Practices of biopiracy to use genetic resources and indigenous knowledge by Western companies without benefit-sharing of those, who generated the traditional knowledge, can be understood as form of neocolonialism.Hypothesis: : The One-World Medicine concept attempts to merge the best of traditional medicine from developing countries and conventional Western medicine for the sake of patients around the globe.Study design: Based on literature searches in several databases, a concept paper has been written. Legislative initiatives of the United Nations culminated in the Nagoya protocol aim to protect traditional knowledge and regulate benefit-sharing with indigenous communities. The European community adopted the Nagoya protocol, and the corresponding regulations will be implemented into national legislation among the member states. Despite pleasing progress, infrastructural problems of the health care systems in developing countries still remain. Current approaches to secure primary health care offer only fragmentary solutions at best. Conventional medicine from industrialized countries cannot be afforded by the impoverished population in the Third World. Confronted with exploding costs, even health systems in Western countries are endangered to burst. Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is popular among the general public in industrialized countries, although the efficacy is not sufficiently proven according to the standards of evidence-based medicine. CAM is often available without prescription as over-the-counter products with non-calculated risks concerning erroneous self-medication and safety/toxicity issues. The concept of integrative medicine attempts to combine holistic CAM approaches with evidence-based principles of conventional medicine.Conclusion: To realize the concept of One-World Medicine, a number of standards have to be set to assure safety, efficacy and applicability of traditional medicine, e.g. sustainable production and quality control of herbal products, performance of placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomized clinical trials, phytovigilance, as well as education of health professionals and patients

Os tomilhos portugueses e os seus oleos essenciais

A taxonomic revision of the genera Thymus L. and Thymbra L. (lamiaceae) from Portugal is presented, with the botanical descriptions and drawings of all the Portuguese taxa. Distribution maps and ecological data of the fourteen taxa of the genus Thymus and one species of the genus Thymbra (T. capitata (L.) Cav.) are given. Th. mastichina (L.) L. sub sp. donyanae R. Morales and Th. praecox Opiz sub sp. ligustricus (Briq.) Paiva and Salgueiro are new to Portugal. Three new hybrids are also indicated for the Portuguese flora. A new nomenclature combination, Th. praecox Opiz sub sp. ligustricus (briq.) Paiva and Salgueiros, is presented. Chemical composition of the essential oils of the Portuguese thymes were carried out by means of several analytical methods (GLC, GLC/Ms e &quot;1&quot;3C-NMR). In order to study infra specific variability chemical analysis were made on collective samples of several populations of the same taxa and on individual samples of the same populations. The results obtained with the analysis of individual plants were submitted to a Principal Component Analysis and a Chemometric Cluster Analysis. It was found out that the Portuguese thymes have a high degree of chemical polymorphism with several chemical types of essential oils in the majority of the taxa: Th. mastichina (L.) L. sub sp. mastichina (1,8-cineole, linalool/1,8 - cineole), Th. albicans Hoffmann. and Link (1,8-cineole, linalool, linalool / 1,8-cineole), Th. lotocephalus G. Lopez and R. Morales (linalool / #beta# - caryophyllene epoxide / camphor, linalool / 1,8 -cineole, 1,8 - cineole, linalyl acetate / linalool / #beta# - caryophyllene epoxide, geranyl acetate / intermedeol), Th. villosus L. sub sp. villous (p -cymene / camphor / linalool, p - cymene / borneol, linalool / geraniol / geranyl acetate, #alpha#-terpineol / camphor / myrcene), Th. villous L. sub sp. lusitanicus (Boiss.)..Available from Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia, Servico de Informacao e Documentacao, Av. D. Carlos I, 126, 1249-074 Lisboa, Portugal / FCT - Fundação para o Ciência e a TecnologiaSIGLEPTPortuga

The Genus Myrtus L. in Algeria: Composition and Biological Aspects of Essential Oils from M. communis and M. nivellei : A Review

International audienc

Ocimum tenuiflorum L. and Ocimum basilicum L., two spices of Lamiaceae family with bioactive essential oils

The present study provides new insights to the antifungal mechanism of action of the essential oils of Ocimum tenuiflorum L. and Ocimum basilicum L., namely inhibition of germ tube formation, inhibition of biofilm formation and preformed biofilm disruption. The essential oils were characterized by GC and GCâ\u80\u93MS. The major compounds were methyl eugenol (84.7%) and β-caryophyllene (7.4%) for O. tenuiflorum and linalool (35.1%), eugenol (20.7%) and 1,8-cineole (9.9%) for O. basilicum. The essential oil from O. tenuiflorum showed a more preeminent effect against C. neoformans (0.16 μL/mL) and dermatophytes (0.32 μL/mL). The effect on the germ tube formation of both essential oils was described here for the first time showing that O. tenuiflorum decreases germ tube formation by more than 50% at values four times lower than MIC (Minimal Inhibitory Concentration) while O. basilicum is able to decrease at values eight times lower than MIC. Furthermore, O. basilicum showed a more preeminent effect both in inhibition of C. albicans biofilm formation as well as in disruption of preformed biofilm. The activity of all major compounds was also determined, and their activity was in general similar to that of the essential oils thus suggesting that those are the main active compounds. Overall, this study highlights the antifungal activity of two widely used spices and complies with the antifungal uses described in folk medicine. In addition, it shows that both essential oils are able to inhibit virulence factors of C. albicans associated with resistance to treatment and relapse cases. Both species are of industrial interest as shown by their use on food and cosmetic industries which was reinforced by the results presented herein

Chemical composition and biological activity of volatile extracts from leaves and fruits of Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi from Tunisia

Volatile oils composition from leaves and ripe fruits of pink pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi) growing in Tunisia were investigated using GC-FID and GC-MS techniques. Volatile oil extraction was achieved by hydrodistillation (HD) using a Clevenger apparatus and by supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) using carbon dioxide. All plant organs, gave SFE extracts chiefly composed by α-pinene, α-phellandrene, β-phellandrene, germacrene D and bicyclogermacrene. In the case of the fruits, both extraction techniques gave volatile oils of similar composition; whereas the comparison between the HD and SFE leave oils revealed important differences in the content of α-pinene (6.1 % vs traces), α-phellandrene (22.7 % vs 0.8 %) and β-phellandrene (14.6 % vs 1.2 %). All volatile samples were evaluated against yeasts and dermatophyte strains, being more active against Cryptococcus neoformans, particularly the volatile oil from the fruits, with MIC values of (0.32-0.64) mg/mL. Moreover, this oil revealed an inhibitory effect on germ tube formation in C. albicans at sub-inhibitory concentration. At the concentration of MIC/8 the inhibition of filamentation was more than 70 %