Chemical composition of Crepis foetida L. and C. rubra L. volatile constituents and evaluation of the in vitro anti-inflammatory activity of salicylaldehyde rich volatile fraction

The genus Crepis L. (Asteraceae) comprises more than 200 currently recognized species. Several studies have been conducted on non-volatile phytochemicals of Crepis spp., featuring mainly sesquiterpene lactones and phenolic derivatives. Nevertheless, no report has been made on assessing the volatile constituents of the genus. Therefore, the present study is the first report to the chemical composition of the volatile constituents of two odoriferous Crepis spp., namely C. foetida L. and C. rubra L. Flowers and stems with leaves volatiles were analysed separately by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. In total, 37 volatile compounds were detected. Salicylaldehyde, carvacrol and aliphatic hydrocarbons are the main components of both C. foetida fractions, however C. rubra flowers are characterized by the abundance of β-sitosterol and eicosanoic acid, while the stems-leaves volatiles revealed to be more complex with hydrocarbons as main constituents.In addition, we investigated the salicylaldehyde rich volatile fraction for its in vitro activity on TNF-α induced ICAM-1 expression.     

Temperature stress causes different profiles of volatile compounds in two chemotypes of Salvia lavandulifolia Vahl.

In order to clarify volatile accumulation patterns along with their adaptability to temperature stress, replicas of two different accessions of Salvia lavandulifolia appointed as chemotypes (A and B) were subjected to increasing temperatures in environmental controlled cabins. Their respective volatile chemical profiles kept their integrity until reaching the growing temperature of 24 °C. Then, remarkable changes were observed. Stressed plants of both accessions showed an increase in the sesquiterpenic fraction and a decrease in the monoterpenic one, although changes in volatile percentages were highly related to the accession. Accession B overexpressed β-caryophyllene, caryophyllene oxide and manool when subjected to the higher temperature tested. On the other hand, accession A mainly showed a remarkable increase of β-bisabolene and viridiflorol. Furthermore, viridiflorol and manool have been confirmed as new chemotaxonomic markers for chemotypes A and B, respectively. The capacity to adjust the production of volatile compounds seems mostly attributed to the genetic background of the plant although more research is needed to understand the stress and its implications for the secondary metabolism. These results contribute remarkably to the chemical phenotyping of this species and may be useful for selection of genotypes.     

Response of the elm leaf beetle to host plants induced by oviposition and feeding: the infestation rate matters

We investigated by olfactometry and feeding‐ and oviposition‐choice‐tests how the highly specialised elm leaf beetle, Xanthogaleruca luteola Müller (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), responds to conspecifically induced defences in the field elm Ulmus minor Miller (Ulmaceae). While egg deposition of the beetle induced elms to release volatiles attractive to the egg parasitoid Oomyzus gallerucae Fonscolombe (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), feeding alone did not. In the present study, females of the elm leaf beetle showed preferences for the odours of twigs induced by low egg deposition and feeding over odours from uninfested twigs. In contrast, heavy infestation rendered elm odours less attractive to the beetles. Feeding and oviposition bioassays revealed an oviposition preference for leaves from uninfested twigs when compared to locally infested leaves. However, beetles preferred to feed upon systemically induced leaves compared to uninfested ones. The different preferences of the elm leaf beetle during host plant approach might be explained by a strategy that accounts for both gaining access to high quality nutrition and avoiding competition or parasitism.     

Antifungal effects of the volatile oils from Allium plants against Trichophyton species and synergism of the oils with ketoconazole

In an attempt to develop stable and safe antifungal agents from natural products (daily foodstuffs in particular), the activities of essential oils from Allium sativum for. pekinense, A. cepa, and A. fistulosum against three Trichophyton species responsible for severe mycoses in humans were investigated and compared with activity of allicin in this study. The fungistatic activities of Allium oils were evaluated by the broth dilution method and disk diffusion assay. The combined effects of Allium oils with ketoconazole were tested by the checkerboard titer test. Among the tested oils, A. sativum for. pekinense oil exhibited the strongest inhibition of growth of T. rubrum, T. erinacei, and T. soudanense with MICs (minimum inhibiting concentrations) of 64microg/ml, while the activities of A. cepa and A. fistulosum were relatively mild. The inhibiting activities of the oils on Sabouraud agar plates were dose dependent against Trichophyton species. Additionally, these oils showed significant synergistic antifungal activity when combined with ketoconazole in the checkerboard titer test and disk diffusion test.     

Characteristics of microbial fermentation and potential digestibility of fiber in the hindgut of dugongs (Dugong dugon)

The number of microorganisms in the hindgut of dugongs (Dugong dugon) were estimated and their in vitro volatile fatty acid (VFA) production and degradation of eelgrass measured. Scanning electron microscopy showed that some rod bacteria attached to the surface of plant tissue degraded and eroded the cell walls. Number of starch-, lactate-, cellobiose-, pectin-, xylan- and cellulose-utilizing bacteria, sulfate-reducing bacteria and methane-producing bacteria were estimated at 10⁹ ～ 10¹⁰ colony forming units g^?1. Microorganisms degraded the cellulose and noncellulolytic components of the eelgrass, and about 47.3% of dry matter was degraded after 36?h in vitro incubation. The total VFA concentration was 10.5?mmol?dL^?1 at 36?h incubation, which included 55.7?mol% acetate, 18.0?mol% n-butyrate and 15.1?mol% propionate. The gas composition of in vitro fermentation was 68.4% carbon dioxide, 22.2% methane and 9.4% hydrogen.     

Chemical Composition and Antimicrobial Activity of the Essential Oil from the Edible Aromatic Plant Aristolochia delavayi

The essential oil obtained by hydrodistillation from the aerial parts of Aristolochia delavayi Franch. (Aristolochiaceae), a unique edible aromatic plant consumed by the Nakhi (Naxi) people in Yunnan, China, was investigated using GC/MS analysis. In total, 95 components, representing more than 95% of the oil composition, were identified, and the main constituents found were (E)‐dec‐2‐enal (52.0%), (E)‐dodec‐2‐enal (6.8%), dodecanal (3.35%), heptanal (2.88%), and decanal (2.63%). The essential oil showed strong inhibitory activity (96% reduction) of the production of bacterial volatile sulfide compounds (VSC) by Klebsiella pneumoniae, an effect that was comparable with that of the reference compound citral (91% reduction). Moreover, the antimicrobial activity of the essential oil and the isolated major compound against eight bacterial and six fungal strains were evaluated. The essential oil showed significant antibacterial activity against Providencia stuartii and Escherichia coli, with minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) ranging from 3.9 to 62.5 μg/ml. The oil also showed strong inhibitory activity against the fungal strains Trichophyton ajelloi, Trichophyton terrestre, Candida glabrata, Candida guilliermondii, and Cryptococcus neoformans, with MIC values ranging from 3.9 to 31.25 μg/ml, while (E)‐dec‐2‐enal presented a lower antifungal activity than the essential oil.     

香叶挥发油成分分析及其对 小鼠白色假丝酵母菌阴道病的影响

目的 研究香叶挥发油对白色假丝酵母生物膜形成的影响。方法 水蒸气蒸馏法提取香叶挥发油,GC-MS分析其成分,测定其对白色假丝酵母的MIC、MBC,激光共聚焦显微镜下观察白色假丝酵母生物膜的形成,制备小鼠白色假丝酵母菌阴道病模型,观察香叶油治疗效果。结果 香叶挥发油提取率为1.83%,分析出22个成分,主要成分为5-甲基-2-异丙烯基环己酮、3,7-二甲基-2-辛烯-1-醇、(顺)香叶醇、异香叶醇、香叶醇和甲酸香茅酯,MIC值为0.3625%,MBC值为0.6250%,激光共聚焦结果显示不同浓度香叶油均可显著抑制白色假丝酵母生物膜形成,动物实验结果显示香叶油可抑制小鼠阴道炎症改变。结论 香叶油用于治疗白色假丝酵母引起的阴道炎机制可能与其影响细菌生物膜形成有关。     

睡莲属62个栽培种花朵挥发性成分GC-MS分析北大核心CSCD

为了解睡莲花朵的致香物质,利用气相色谱-质谱法对62个栽培种花朵的挥发性成分进行了研究。结果表明,共检测出72种挥发性成分,以烯烃类(26种)、烷烃类(11种)和醇类(9种)较多,其中花香成分有53种(73.60%)。40个热带睡莲花朵中共检测出56种挥发性成分,其中花香成分39种;22个耐寒睡莲品种花朵共检测出37种挥发性成分,其中花香成分27种。花香成分中主要致香物质有乙酸苄酯、顺式-罗勒烯、苯甲醇、金合欢烯、月桂烯、柠檬烯、苯甲醛、α-异松油稀、α-蒎烯、肉桂醇和β-丁香醇等。利用组内联接余弦的方法,分别根据挥发性成分和花香成分,62个睡莲栽培种(品种)可分成3和4组。这为睡莲香气物质的开发利用及与传粉动物的协同进化研究提供了基础资料。     

不同产地丁香挥发性成分分析

采用顶空固相微萃取-气相色谱-质谱联用技术对产自国内外4个地区的丁香(Eugenia caryophyllata Thunb.)挥发性成分进行了检测,并以峰面积归一化法计算了各组分的相对含量。结果显示,从4个产地13批次丁香中共鉴定出挥发性成分72种(匹配度均高于75),其中,主要成分含量排名前两位的均为丁香酚、(-)-α-芹子烯,排名第三位的挥发性成分分别为:顺式-α-没药烯(马达加斯加塔马塔夫,平均为3.75%)、罗勒烯(中国广东,平均为4.21%)、亚麻三烯(中国广西,平均为3.74%)、丁香烯(印度尼西亚爪哇岛,平均为3.60%)。表明同一产地的丁香挥发性成分具有一定的相似性,不同产地丁香挥发性成分也有一定的差异,这对丁香产地的鉴别具有重要意义。主成分分析和聚类分析的结果既可以将4个产地的丁香很好地区分开来,又能反映出它们之间的亲缘关系。本研究采用HS-SPME-GC-MS方法检测不同产地丁香挥发性成分并结合主成分分析(PCA)及聚类分析法,能有效区分4个产地的丁香,该方法可作为丁香产地的鉴别方法,也为进一步比较不同产地丁香挥发性成分的差异及质量控制提供了新思路。