Chromium speciation using sequential injection analysis and multivariate curve resolution

This work proposes a new method for determination of the oxidative stability of edible oils at frying temperatures using near infrared emission spectroscopy (NIRES). The method is based on heating an oil sample at a fixed temperature, followed by the acquisition of the emission spectra with time using a home-made spectrometer with an acousto-optical tunable filter (AOTF) as monochromator. The induction time, related to the oxidative stability, is determined by means of the emission band at 2900 nm and its increase and broadening during the heating time. After the induction period, this band also provides information related to the oxidation rate of the sample. Twelve samples of edible oils, of different types and from different manufacturers, were analyzed for oxidative stability with mean repetitivity of 3.7%. The effects of nitrogen insertion, heating temperature and the presence of antioxidant compounds on the oxidative stability were evaluated.     

Antioxidant activity of crude extracts and essential oils from flower buds and leaves of Cistus creticus and Cistus salviifolius

Volatile oils from flowers and leaves of C. creticus L. and C. salviifolius L. were extracted by two extraction methods; namely, hydrodistillation and solid-phase micro-extraction (SPME). The chemical composition of essential oils was analyzed by GC and GC–MS. The volatile extracted from leaves and flowers of C. criticus using SPME was dominated by monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes hydrocarbon with α-pinene, camphene and α-cubebene as major components. In hydrodistillation, the oil extracted from leaves was dominated by oxygenated diterpenes and diterpenes hydrocarbon with manoyl oxide and sclarene as major components, whereas, the oil extracted from flowers was dominated by oxygenated diterpenes and diterpenes hydrocarbon with manoyl oxide and abietatriene as major components. The volatile from flowers and leaves of C. salviifolius obtained by SPME were dominated by monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes with δ-3-carene, α-pinene, β-pinene, and E-caryophyllene as major constituents. On the other hand, the oils from flowers and leaves of C. salviifolius obtained by hydrodistillation were dominated by oxygenated diterpenes, diterpenes hydrocarbon and esters with dehydro abietol, abietol, manoyl oxide and methyl octadecenoate as major components. In the leaves, the major components of the oil were manoyl oxide, E-ethyl cinnamate, and Z-ethyl cinnamate. These oils showed weak antioxidant activity when compared to the positive controls α-tocopherol, ascorbic acid, and EDTA, while the crude extracts aq. MeOH, butanol, and water showed good antioxidant activity. Discriminating between the studied plants based on the extraction method was also possible upon applying Principle component analysis (PCA) to the obtained GC–MS data.     

Phytochemical Compositions and Antioxidant Activities of Essential Oils Extracted from the Flowers of Paeonia delavayi Using Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Fluid

Essential oils were extracted from dark-purple, red and yellow petals of Paeonia delavayi using Supercritical Carbon Dioxide method. The compositions of essential oils were analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Antioxidant activity assays were carried out using DPPH, ABTS- and FRAP methods. Total polyphenols and total flavonoids were measured to evaluate the in vitro antioxidant activity in addition to the volatile compounds contained in the essential oils extracted from the flower petals of P. delavayi with the three flower colors. A total of 194 compounds were detected from essential oils of P. delavayi flowers, including 83 in dark-purple petals, 90 in red petals and 80 in yellow petals. These compounds mainly include alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, alkenes, alkanes, esters and polyphenols. The results showed that the volatile compounds accumulated differentially among the essential oils from the different colors of flower petals. Principal component analysis (PCA) indicated that essential oils derived from dark-purple and red petals were more closely clustered while the yellow petal essential oil was very different with both the purple-red and red. Antioxidant assays suggested that the radical scavenging activity and the iron reduction antioxidant activity in the essential oils were highly correlated with the flower petal colors. These results suggest P. delavayi flower petals are potentially good resources for high quality essential oils and natural antioxidants.     

Essential Oils of Seven Lamiaceae Plants and Their Antioxidant Capacity

Oxidative stress has been reported as a cause of many diseases like Parkinson′s, Alzheimer′s, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. Oxidative stress can also lead to cancer formation by promoting tumor development and progression. Antioxidants derived from Lamiaceae plants play an important role in natural medicine, pharmacology, cosmetology, and aromatherapy. Herein, we examine the antioxidative capacity of essential oils from seven aromatic Lamiaceae plants against the synthetic radicals DPPH and ABTS. Among the essential oils analyzed, the most robust scavenging capacities were found in mixtures of volatile compounds from thyme and savory. The scavenging activity of tested EOs against the ABTS radical was clearly higher than activity towards DPPH. Analysis of essential oils with weaker antioxidant activity has shown that volatile compounds from marjoram, sage, and hyssop were more active than EOs from lavender and mint. It can be suggested that the potent antioxidant capacity of thyme (Thymus vulgaris) and savory (Satyreja hortensis) are related to a high level of phenolic constituents, such as thymol and carvacrol. On the other hand, the elevated antioxidative power of marjoram, sage, and hyssop essential oils may also be due to their terpinene, o-cymene, terpinolene, and terpinen-4-ol constituents. Although non-phenolic components are less active than thymol or carvacrol, they may affect antioxidant capacity synergistically.     

Physicochemical Properties,Fatty Acid Composition,Volatile Compounds of Blueberries,Cranberries, Raspberries,and Cuckooflower Seeds Obtained Using Sonication Method

Every year, thousands of tons of fruit seeds are discarded as agro-industrial by-products around the world. Fruit seeds are an excellent source of oils, monounsaturated fatty acids, and n-6 and n-3 polyunsaturated essential fatty acids. This study aimed to develop a novel technology for extracting active substances from selected seeds that were obtained after pressing fruit juices. The proposed technology involved sonification with the use of ethyl alcohol at a low extraction temperature. Seeds of four species—blueberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.), raspberry (Rubus idaeus), cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon), and cuckooflower (Cardamine pratensis)—were used for extraction. Following alcohol evaporation under nitrogen, the antioxidant activity, chemical composition, and volatile compounds of the obtained extracts were analyzed using chromatographic methods, including gas chromatography (GC)–mass spectrometry (MS) (GC–MS/MS), and high-performance liquid chromatography–MS. We analyzed physicochemical properties, fatty acid, and volatile compounds composition, sterol and tocochromanol content of blueberry, cranberry, raspberry, and cuckooflower seed oils obtained by sonication. This method is safe and effective, and allows for obtaining valuable oils from the seeds.     

How lipid unsaturation, peroxyl radical partitioning, and chromanol lipophilic tail affect the antioxidant activity of α-tocopherol: direct visualization via high-throughput fluorescence studies conducted with fluorogenic α-tocopherol analogues

The preparation of two highly sensitive fluorogenic α-tocopherol (TOH) analogues which undergo >30-fold fluorescence intensity enhancement upon reaction with peroxyl radicals is reported. The probes consist of a chromanol moiety coupled to the meso position of a BODIPY fluorophore, where the use of a methylene linker (BODIPY-2,2,5,7,8-pentamethyl-6-hydroxy-chroman adduct, H(2)B-PMHC) vs an ester linker (meso-methanoyl BODIPY-6-hydroxy-2,5,7,8-tetramethylchromane-2-carboxylic acid, H(2)B-TOH) enables tuning their reactivity toward H-atom abstraction by peroxyl radicals. The development of a high-throughput fluorescence assay for monitoring kinetics of peroxyl radical reactions in liposomes is subsequently described where the evolution of the fluorescence intensity over time provides a rapid, facile method to conduct competitive kinetic studies in the presence of TOH and its analogues. A quantitative treatment is formulated for the temporal evolution of the intensity in terms of relative rate constants of H-atom abstraction (k(inh)) from the various tocopherol analogues. Combined, the new probes, the fluorescence assay, and the data analysis provide a new method to obtain, in a rapid, parallel format, relative antioxidant activities in phospholipid membranes. The method is exemplified with four chromanol-based antioxidant compounds differing in their aliphatic tails (TOH, PMHC, H(2)B-PMHC, and H(2)B-TOH). Studies were conducted in six different liposome solutions prepared from poly- and mono-unsaturated and saturated (fluid vs gel phase) lipids in the presence of either hydrophilic or lipophilic peroxyl radicals. A number of key insights into the chemistry of the TOH antioxidants in lipid membranes are provided: (1) The relative antioxidant activities of chromanols in homogeneous solution, arising from their inherent chemical reactivity, readily translate to the microheterogeneous environment at the water/lipid interface; thus similar values for k(inh)(H(2)B-PMHC)/k(inh)(H(2)B-TOH) in the range of 2-3 are recorded both in homogeneous solution and in liposome suspensions with hydrophilic or lipophilic peroxyl radicals. (2) The relative antioxidant activity between tocopherol analogues with the same inherent chemical reactivity but bearing short (PMHC) or long (TOH) aliphatic tails, k(inh)(PMHC)/k(inh)(TOH), is ~8 in the presence of hydrophilic peroxyl radicals, regardless of the nature of the lipid membrane into which they are embedded. (3) Antioxidants embedded in saturated lipids do not efficiently scavenge hydrophilic peroxyl radicals; under these conditions wastage reactions among peroxyl radicals become important, and this translates into larger times for antioxidant consumption. (4) Lipophilic peroxyl radicals show reduced discrimination between antioxidants bearing long and short aliphatic tails, with k(inh)(PMHC)/k(inh)(TOH) in the range of 3-4 for most lipid membranes. (5) Lipophilic peroxyl radicals are scavenged with the same efficiency by all four antioxidants studied, regardless of the nature of their aliphatic tail or the lipid membrane into which they are embedded. These data underpin the key role the lipid environment plays in modulating the rate of reaction of antioxidants characterized by similar inherent chemical reactivity (arising from a conserved chromanol moiety) but differing in their membrane mobility (structural differences in the lipophilic tail). Altogether, a novel, facile method of study, new insights, and a quantitative understanding on the critical role of lipid diversity in modulating antioxidant activity in the lipid milieu are reported.     

Chemical composition,antibacterial and antioxidant activities of essential oils from leaves of three Melaleuca species of Pakistani flora

This study presents essential oil composition of three Melaleuca species namely, Melaleuca bracteata F. Muell, Melaleuca fulgens R. Br. subsp. steedmanii and Melaleuca leucadendron (L.) L. collected from different regions of Pakistan. The chemical composition of essential oils was analyzed by GC-FID and GC–MS. Eugenol methyl ether was identified as a principal component in M. bracteata (82.3%), M. fulgens (87.8%) and M. leucadendron (95.4%) oils. In vitro antibacterial studies were done by agar well diffusion and microdilution method and the tested essential oils exhibited bacteriostatic and bactericidal effects against the tested foodborne pathogens at 4–8 µg/ml. Time kill assay showed significant bactericidal effect of oils for four weeks. The antioxidant potential was assessed by free radical scavenging activity and reducing power assay. The oils showed strong antioxidant activity with approximately 89.0–89.5% inhibition of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical and ferric reducing power in the range of 1.94 ± 0.007–2.04 ± 0.04% at 100 µg/ml.     

Analysis of essential oils from Voacanga africana seeds at different hydrodistillation extraction stages: chemical composition,antioxidant activity and antimicrobial activity

In this study, essential oils from Voacanga africana seeds at different extraction stages were investigated. In the chemical composition analysis, 27 compounds representing 86.69–95.03% of the total essential oils were identified and quantified. The main constituents in essential oils were terpenoids, alcohols and fatty acids accounting for 15.03–24.36%, 21.57–34.43% and 33.06–57.37%, respectively. Moreover, the analysis also revealed that essential oils from different extraction stages possessed different chemical compositions. In the antioxidant evaluation, all analysed oils showed similar antioxidant behaviours, and the concentrations of essential oils providing 50% inhibition of DPPH-scavenging activity (IC₅₀) were about 25 mg/mL. In the antimicrobial experiments, essential oils from different extraction stages exhibited different antimicrobial activities. The antimicrobial activity of oils was affected by extraction stages. By controlling extraction stages, it is promising to obtain essential oils with desired antimicrobial activities.     

Application of unfold principal component analysis and parallel factor analysis to the exploratory analysis of olive oils by means of excitation-emission matrix fluorescence spectroscopy

Discrimination between virgin olive oils and pure olive oils is of primary importance for controlling adulterations. Here, we show the potential usefulness of two multiway methods, unfold principal component analysis (U-PCA) and parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC), for the exploratory analysis of the two types of oils. We applied both methods to the excitation-emission fluorescence matrices (EEM) of olive oils and then compared the results with the ones obtained by multivariate principal component analysis (PCA) based on a fluorescence spectrum recorded at only one excitation wavelength. For U-PCA and PARAFAC, the ranges studied were λ_ex=300-400 nm, λ_em=400-695 nm and λ_ex=300-400 nm, λ_em=400-600 nm. The first range contained chlorophylls, whose peak was much more intense than those of the rest of species. The second range did not contain the chlorophylls peak but only the fluorescence spectra of the remaining compounds (oxidation products and Vitamin E). The three-component PARAFAC model on the second range was found to be the most interpretable. With this model, we could distinguish well between the two groups of oils and we could find the underlying fluorescent spectra of three families of compounds.     

The Wonderful Activities of the Genus Mentha: Not Only Antioxidant Properties

Medicinal plants and their derived compounds have drawn the attention of researchers due to their considerable impact on human health. Among medicinal plants, mint (Mentha species) exhibits multiple health beneficial properties, such as prevention from cancer development and anti-obesity, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, and cardioprotective effects, as a result of its antioxidant potential, combined with low toxicity and high efficacy. Mentha species are widely used in savory dishes, food, beverages, and confectionary products. Phytochemicals derived from mint also showed anticancer activity against different types of human cancers such as cervix, lung, breast and many others. Mint essential oils show a great cytotoxicity potential, by modulating MAPK and PI3k/Akt pathways; they also induce apoptosis, suppress invasion and migration potential of cancer cells lines along with cell cycle arrest, upregulation of Bax and p53 genes, modulation of TNF, IL-6, IFN-γ, IL-8, and induction of senescence phenotype. Essential oils from mint have also been found to exert antibacterial activities against Bacillus subtilis, Streptococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and many others. The current review highlights the antimicrobial role of mint-derived compounds and essential oils with a special emphasis on anticancer activities, clinical data and adverse effects displayed by such versatile plants.     

Perturbations of an Acetone‐Based Briggs–Rauscher System by α‐Tocopherol (Vitamin E)

The malonic acid (MA)‐based oscillating Briggs–Rauscher reaction (BR) in batch mode has been shown to be sensitive to various hydrophilic polyphenol antioxidants. Several of these have been shown to cause cessation of oscillations for a period of time before a restart occurs. The length of time before oscillations restart is related to the type of antioxidant and its concentration. Procedures have been devised to use this method as a tool for measuring antioxidant activity from pure compounds and from extracts of natural sources. The antioxidant activity has been related to the reaction of the antioxidants with HOO^. radicals present in the oscillating system. Vitamin E (α‐tocopherol), a typical highly lipophilic antioxidant containing an phenolic OH group, is soluble in acetone that also is a suitable substrate for the BR reaction. Perturbations of a highly concentrated acetone‐based BR oscillator by acetonic solutions of vitamin E were studied. The inhibitory effects were found similar to those provoked by hydrophilic polyphenols in the MA‐based oscillator, but to obtain reasonable inhibition times, the concentration of vitamin E must be at the mM level instead μM . However, there is a region of concentrations where there is a nearly linear relation between concentration and inhibition time. A comparison with a hydrophilic diphenol (2,6‐dihydroxybenzoic acid) in the acetone‐based oscillator showed that the inhibitory reaction is much slower in this system than in the MA one. We were able to model the perturbations by vitamin E assuming its reaction with HOO^. radicals by using the FCA mechanism previously reported with some little modifications.     

Chemical Composition,Antioxidant and Cytoprotective Potentials of Carica papaya Leaf Extracts: A Comparison of Supercritical Fluid and Conventional Extraction Methods

The leaves of Carica papaya (CP) are rich in natural antioxidants. Carica papaya has traditionally been used to treat various ailments, including skin diseases. This study aims to decipher the antioxidant effects and phytochemical content of different CP leaf extracts (CPEs) obtained using supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO₂) and conventional extraction methods. The antioxidant activities of CPEs were evaluated by cell-free (1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric-reduced antioxidative power (FRAP)) and cell-based (H₂O₂) assay. Both C. papaya leaf scCO₂ extract with 5% ethanol (CPSCE) and C. papaya leaf scCO₂ extract (CPSC) exhibited stronger DPPH radical scavenging activity than conventional extracts. In the FRAP assay, two hydrophilic extracts (C. papaya leaf ethanol extract (CPEE) and C. papaya freeze-dried leaf juice (CPFD)) showed relatively stronger reducing power compared to lipophilic extracts. Cell-based assays showed that CPFD significantly protected skin fibroblasts from H₂O₂-induced oxidative stress in both pre-and post-treatment. CPEE protected skin fibroblasts from oxidative stress in a dose-dependent manner while CPSCE significantly triggered the fibroblast recovery after treatment with H₂O₂. GC-MS analysis indicated that CPSCE had the highest α-tocopherol and squalene contents. By contrast, both CP hydrophilic extracts (CPEE and CPFD) had a higher total phenolic content (TPC) and rutin content than the lipophilic extracts. Overall, CPEs extracted using green and conventional extraction methods showed antioxidative potential in both cell-based and cell-free assays due to their lipophilic and hydrophilic antioxidants, respectively.     

Flow-injection methylene blue-based spectrophotometric method for the determination of peroxide values in edible oils

A flow-injection method for measuring the peroxide value (PV, mequiv. O₂ kg⁻¹) in edible oils is described. The technique is based on spectrophotometric monitoring at 660 nm of methylene blue (MB), generated from leucomethylene blue (LMB) oxidation with peroxides present in oil samples. After being optimized, the method was validated in terms of linearity, precision sensitivity and recovery.Linear calibration graph was obtained in the range 0.1-5 mequiv. O₂ kg⁻¹, with a detection limit (S/N  =  3) of 0.014 mequiv. O₂ kg⁻¹. The precision of the method (R.S.D., n = 9) for within and between-days is better than 1.5% and 2.2%, respectively at 0.4 mequiv. O₂ kg⁻¹. The method was applied successfully to the determination of PV in six edible oil samples, and compared to the classical official method. Using the linear regression test, Student's t-test and variance ratio F-test, there was no significant difference between the compared methods. The proposed method is accurate, simple, cheap and could be used to control edible oil rancidity with a high sample throughputs (30 samples h⁻¹).     

Solvatochromic effects in the fluorescence and triplet—triplet absorption spectra of xanthone,thioxanthone and N-methylacridone

While the fluorescence of xanthone, thioxanthone and N-methylacridone shows the customary red shift with increasing solvent polarity, as measured by a polarization function, indicating an increase in dipole moment on excitation, the triplet-triplet (T₁T_n) absorption spectra are strongly blue shifted, indicating a decrease in dipole moment on excitation.     

Determination of antioxidant activity using oxidative damage to plasmid DNA — pursuit of solvent optimization

Oxidative stress plays a key role in the pathophysiology of many diseases. Hydroxyl radical is the oxidative species most commonly causing damage to cells. The aim of this work was to optimize the method for antioxidant activity determination on a model lipophilic geranylated flavanone, diplacone. This method uses protection of plasmid DNA from oxidation by a hydroxyl radical generated by the Fenton reaction involving oxidation of metal ions using H₂O₂ and ascorbate. The method was optimized for lipophilic compounds using several solvents and co-solvents. It was found that (2-hydroxypropyl)-β-cyclodextrin (0.1 mass % aq. sol.) is the best co-solvent for our model lipophilic compound to measure the antioxidant activity by the method presented. Other solvents, namely dimethyl sulfoxide, Cremophor EL® (0.1 mass % aq. sol.), ethanol, and methanol, were not suitable for the determination of the antioxidant activity by the method described. Tween 80 (0.1 mass % aq. sol.) and a mixture of 10 vol. % ethanol and 9 mass % bovine serum albumin (aq. sol.) significantly decreased the antioxidant activity of the model lipophilic compound and thus were not suitable for this method.     

GC-MS法鉴别食用油和餐饮业中废弃油脂的研究

用气相色谱 质谱联用(GC MS)方法对7种餐饮业中废弃油脂(简称废油脂)和5种合格成品食用油(简称食用油)中所有脂肪酸进行分析。研究发现,废油脂中部分不饱和脂肪酸受到氧化,使脂肪酸相对不饱和度(U R)值明显小于同种类食用油中的脂肪酸相对不饱和度(U R)值,其脂肪酸的质量分数分布与同种类的食用油中脂肪酸的质量分数分布有很大的区别,以及绝大部分废油脂中存在较大量矿物油。研究表明,脂肪酸相对不饱和度(U R)值和脂肪酸的质量分数分布可以鉴别废油脂。     

Imidazolium-based ionic liquid derivative/Cu<Superscript>II</Superscript> complexes as efficient catalysts of the lucigenin chemiluminescence system and its application to H<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>2</Subscript> and glucose detection

The effects of six synthetic imidazolium-based ionic liquids (ILs) on the Cu^II-catalyzed chemiluminescence of lucigenin (Luc-CL) in the pH range 6.0–11 were investigated. Preliminary experiments found that the CL emission was strongly enhanced or inhibited in the presence of the ILs. The degree of enhancement or inhibition of the CL intensity in the presence of each IL was related to the molecular structure of the IL, the medium used, and the pH. The maximum enhancement of the CL intensity was observed at pH 9.0 (amplification factor?=?443). This decrease in the pH at which maximum CL enhancement occurred and the substantial signal amplification of the Luc-CL may be related to a strong interaction between Cu^II and the imidazolium ring of superior ILs at this pH. Additionally, the formation of IL microdomains in semi-aqueous media permitted more solubility of the product yielded by the Luc-CL reaction (N-methylacridone), which could increase the CL intensity. To obtain consistent data on the catalytic efficiency of Cu^II in the presence of various ILs as well as the corresponding CL emission intensities, fluorescence quantum yields (Φ _F) of lucigenin were measured under the same conditions. Comparison of the data pointed to the mechanism that controls the properties of Luc-CL in the presence of the Cu^II/IL complexes. Based on the catalytic effect of the Cu^II/IL complex and the measurement of the enzymatically generated H₂O₂, a novel, simple, and sensitive CL method for determining glucose with a detection limit (LoD) of 6.5 μM was developed. Moreover, this method was satisfactorily applied to the determination of glucose in human serum and urine samples.

Open image in new window

Graphical Abstract The lucigenin chemiluminescence assay for H₂O₂ and glucose using imidazolium–based ionic liquid derivatives/Cu^II complexes as efficient catalysts at pH 9.0

     

Effects of Extraction Methods on the Bioactivities and Nutritional Value of Virginia and Valencia-Type Peanut Oil

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of peanut varieties cultivated in Morocco (Virginia and Valencia) and extraction methods (cold press, CP; Soxhlet, Sox and maceration, and Mac) on the fatty acid profile, phytosterol, and tocopherol contents, quality characteristics, and antioxidant potential of peanut seed oil. The DPPH method was used to determine the antioxidant activity of the oils. The results revealed that fatty acid content was slightly affected by the extraction technique. However, the CP method was shown to be an excellent approach for extracting oil with desirable quality features compared to the Sox and Mac methods. Furthermore, the peanut oil extracted via CP carried a higher amount of bioactive compounds and exhibited remarkable antioxidant activities. The findings also revealed higher oleic acid levels from the Virginia oil, ranging from 56.46% to 56.99%. Besides, a higher total phytosterol and tocopherol content and DPPH scavenging capacity were obtained from the Valencia oil. Analyzing the study, it can be inferred that extraction method and variety both affect the composition of the peanut oil’s bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity. This information is relevant for extracting peanut oil with a greater level of compounds of industrial interest.     

Antifungal Properties of Essential Oils and Their Compounds for Application in Skin Fungal Infections: Conventional and Nonconventional Approaches

Essential oils (EOs) are known to have varying degrees of antimicrobial properties that are mainly due to the presence of bioactive compounds. These include antiviral, nematicidal, antifungal, insecticidal and antioxidant properties. This review highlights the potential of EOs and their compounds for application as antifungal agents for the treatment of skin diseases via conventional and nonconventional approaches. A search was conducted using three databases (Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar), and all relevant articles from the period of 2010–2020 that are freely available in English were extracted. In our findings, EOs with a high percentage of monoterpenes showed strong ability as potential antifungal agents. Lavandula sp., Salvia sp., Thymus sp., Citrus sp., and Cymbopogon sp. were among the various species found to show excellent antifungal properties against various skin diseases. Some researchers developed advanced formulations such as gel, semi-solid, and ointment bases to further evaluate the effectiveness of EOs as antifungal agents. To date, most studies on the application of EOs as antifungal agents were performed using in vitro techniques, and only a limited number pursued in vivo and intervention-based research.     

Phytochemistry,antioxidant and antibacterial activities of two Moroccan Teucrium polium L. subspecies: Preventive approach against nosocomial infections

The aim of the present study was to determine the chemical composition and antioxidant activity of essential oils (EOs) from two Teucrium polium subspecies, to evaluate, also their antibacterial activities, against some nosocomial-bacteria. The phytochemical screening of essential oils was analyzed using gas chromatography-flame ionization detector (GC-FID) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis (GC-MS). The antibacterial activities were assessed by disc diffusion method and minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC), against Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Citrobacter koseri and Acinetobacter baumannii) and Gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus. The antioxidant potential was evaluated in vitro by three assays, namely free radical scavenging activity against 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrzyl (DPPH), ferric reducing activity power (FRAP) and total antioxidant capacity. Twenty-six components were identified in the EO of Teucrium polium subsp. aurum representing. Its major component was Caryophyllene (19.13%) followed by γ-Muurolene (13.02%), τ-cadinol, (11.01%), α-Gurjunene (9.2%), Rosifoliol (8.79%), 3-Carene (7.04%). However, twenty two components were identified in the EO of T. polium subsp. polium. Its major components are 3-carene (16.49%), γ-Muurolene (14.03%), α-pinene (9.94%), α-phellandrene (6.93%) and Caryophyllene (7.51%). The antibacterial activity of both essential oils showed a higher activity against tested nosocomial bacteria especially against S. aureus and A. baumannii. The EO of T. polium subsp. aureum showed better antioxidant activity as measured by DPPH and FRAP assays with IC₅₀ values of 3.7 ± 0.2 mg/ml and 2.31 ± 0.11 mg/ml, respectively. The total antioxidant capacity assay showed that T. polium subsp. aureum had a significant activity with value to 3308.27 mg equivalent to ascorbic acid/g of EO. The Moroccan T. polium essential oils could be exploited as an antimicrobial agent for the treatment of several infectious diseases caused by bacteria, especially, those who have developed resistance to conventional antibiotics.