Examination of the large white and small white butterflies (Pieris spp.) for the presence of mustard oils and mustard oil glycosides

Sinigrin and mustard oils were identified in the pupae of the large white butterfly (Pieris brassicae) and the small white (P. rapae). It is assumed that these substances are sequestered by the larvae from its foodplant and stored. The large white is apparently the more efficient storer of the two, and mustard oils could be detected in the adults, as well as the larvae.     

Physicochemical properties of cold pressed sunflower,peanut, rapeseed,mustard and olive oils grown in the Eastern Mediterranean region

Fatty acid composition and stability of vegetable oils have taken more attention as an essential source of biologically active compounds in a good balanced diet. The purpose of the study was to determine peroxide value, free fatty acids, unsaponifiable matter, total carotenoid content, iodine value and fatty acid composition of sunflower, rapeseed, mustard, peanut and olive oils. Rapeseed and peanut oils had the highest peroxide values, while sunflower oil had the lowest peroxide values. The free fatty acid value of the tested oils varied between 0.43 and 1.36% oleic. The peanut oil had the highest free acid value and the mustard oil had the lowest one. Total carotenoid contents of mustard and rape seed oil were higher than those of the other oils tested. Palmitic acid (C16:0), oleic acid (C18:1) and stearic acid (C18:0) were the common main fatty acid components of the vegetable oils tested. Followed by linoleic acid, the amount of oleic acid was the highest among other fatty acid components. Mustard oil had the highest erucic acid (C22:1) with the amount of 11.38%, indicating that it cannot be used for human consumption. Among the oils investigated, sunflower and mustard oils were more stable than rapeseed, peanut and olive oils.     

Aversion and attraction to harmful plant secondary compounds jointly shape the foraging ecology of a specialist herbivore

Most herbivorous insect species are restricted to a narrow taxonomic range of host plant species. Herbivore species that feed on mustard plants and their relatives in the Brassicales have evolved highly efficient detoxification mechanisms that actually prevent toxic mustard oils from forming in the bodies of the animals. However, these mechanisms likely were not present during the initial stages of specialization on mustard plants ~100 million years ago. The herbivorous fly Scaptomyza nigrita (Drosophilidae) is a specialist on a single mustard species, bittercress (Cardamine cordifolia; Brassicaceae) and is in a fly lineage that evolved to feed on mustards only in the past 10–20 million years. In contrast to many mustard specialists, S. nigrita does not prevent formation of toxic breakdown products (mustard oils) arising from glucosinolates (GLS), the primary defensive compounds in mustard plants. Therefore, it is an appealing model for dissecting the early stages of host specialization. Because mustard oils actually form in the bodies of S. nigrita, we hypothesized that in lieu of a specialized detoxification mechanism, S. nigrita may mitigate exposure to high GLS levels within plant tissues using behavioral avoidance. Here, we report that jasmonic acid (JA) treatment increased GLS biosynthesis in bittercress, repelled adult female flies, and reduced larval growth. S. nigrita larval damage also induced foliar GLS, especially in apical leaves, which correspondingly displayed the least S. nigrita damage in controlled feeding trials and field surveys. Paradoxically, flies preferred to feed and oviposit on GLS‐producing Arabidopsis thaliana despite larvae performing worse in these plants versus non‐GLS‐producing mutants. GLS may be feeding cues for S. nigrita despite their deterrent and defensive properties, which underscores the diverse relationship a mustard specialist has with its host when lacking a specialized means of mustard oil detoxification.     

Volatile oil from Guarea macrophylla ssp. tuberculata: seasonal variation and electroantennographic detection by Hypsipyla grandella

GC and GC-MS analyses of the volatile oils from Guarea macrophylla (Meliaceae) collected during three different periods in one year (February, June and October) indicated a seasonal variation in chemical composition. Whilst sesquiterpenes were the predominant class of components present in the leaf oil, a seasonal dependent variation in the degree of oxygenation of these compounds was detected, which seemed to be associated with phenological factors. The leaf oil, and fractions thereof, were subjected to GC coupled with electroantennographic detection employing antennae of females of Hypsipyla grandella, an insect pest that attacks several meliaceous species. Five compounds elicited significant responses and these were identified as ledol, 1-cubenol, guai-6-en-10beta-ol, 1-epi-cubenol, and tau-muurolol. The results suggest that these components could be responsible for the attraction of H. grandella to G. macrophylla.     

Antifungal activity of essential oils evaluated by two different application techniques against rye bread spoilage fungi

AIMS: To study how antifungal activity of natural essential oils depends on the assay method used. METHODS AND RESULTS: Oils of bay, cinnamon leaf, clove, lemongrass, mustard, orange, sage, thyme and two rosemary oils were tested by two methods: (1) a rye bread-based agar medium was supplemented with 100 and 250 microl l-1 essential oil and (2) real rye bread was exposed to 136 and 272 microl l-1 volatile oil in air. Rye bread spoilage fungi were used for testing. Method 1 proved thyme oil to be the overall best growth inhibitor, followed by clove and cinnamon. On the contrary, orange, sage and rosemary oils had very limited effects. Mustard and lemongrass were the most effective oils by the volatile method, and orange, sage and one rosemary showed some effects. Oil compositions were analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectrography. CONCLUSIONS: Antifungal effects of the essential oils depended on the application method. Larger phenolic compounds such as thymol and eugenol (thyme, cinnamon and clove) had best effect applied directly to medium, whereas smaller compounds such as allyl isothiocyanate and citral (mustard and lemongrass) were most efficient when added as volatiles. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: This study proves that the method used for screening essential oils as potential antimicrobials should correspond with the application sought.     

Volatiles in Distillates of Fresh Radish of Japanese and Kenyan Origin

The steam-volatile constituents of fresh radish of Japanese and Kenyan origin have been studied by GC-MS technique. The over-all pattern of compounds in the two materials was similar. Ten mustard oils, of which pentyl, hexyl, and 4-methylpentyl isothiocyanate have not previously been reported as products of natural derivation, two related nitriles, dimethyl disulfide, methyl methanethiolsulfinate and 1-methylthio-3-pentanone, a novel sulfide-ketone, together constitute the major volatile sulfur products in the two radish materials. A few non-sulfur volatiles have also been identified. The diversity in chemical structure of the sulfur constituents becomes less surprising when regarded in terms of their biogenetic origin.     

DNA sequence selectivity of guanine-N7 alkylation by nitrogen mustards.

Nitrogen mustards alkylate DNA primarily at the N7 position of guanine. Using an approach analogous to that of the Maxam-Gilbert procedure for DNA sequence analysis, we have examined the relative frequencies of alkylation for a number of nitrogen mustards at different guanine-N7 sites on a DNA fragment of known sequence. Most nitrogen mustards were found to have similar patterns of alkylation, with the sites of greatest alkylation being runs of contiguous guanines, and relatively weak alkylation at isolated guanines. Uracil mustard and quinacrine mustard, however, were found to have uniquely enhanced reaction with at least some 5'-PyGCC-3' and 5'-GT-3' sequences, respectively. In addition, quinacrine mustard showed a greater reaction at runs of contiguous guanines than did other nitrogen mustards, whereas uracil mustard showed little preference for these sequences. A comparison of the sequence-dependent variations of molecular electrostatic potential at the N7-position of guanine with the sequence dependent variations of alkylation intensity for mechlorethamine and L-phenylalanine mustard showed a good correlation in some regions of the DNA, but not others. It is concluded that electrostatic interactions may contribute strongly to the reaction rates of cationic compounds such as the reactive aziridinium species of nitrogen mustards, but that other sequence selectivities can be introduced in different nitrogen mustard derivatives.     

Nano essential oils against the red palm weevil,Rhynchophorus ferrugineus Olivier (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

The red palm weevil, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus, is the biggest pest of various palm species. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of the essential oils of purslane, mustard and castor (bulk and nano) on R. ferrugineus and to evaluate the oviposition deterrent effect to prevent new infestations. Prepared concentrations of essential oils (bulk and nano) were tested for their impact on R. ferrugineus larvae, pupae and adults. The most effective oil was purslane oil (bulk and nano), followed by mustard and the least effective was castor. The percent mortality of larvae was 75.2, 45.3 and 17.9% (bulk phase) and 92.5, 84.4 and 65.5% (nano phase) in purslane, mustard and castor, respectively, when treated with the high concentration. The percent mortality of adults was 67.2, 40.0 and 15.6% (bulk phase) and 83.5, 72.9 and 60.0% (nano phase) in purslane, mustard and castor, respectively, when treated with the high concentration. The number of eggs laid decreased with increasing concentration of the tested oils. Purslane essential oil showed good impact on R. ferrugineus larvae and adults followed by mustard and castor oils as bulk and as nano.     

Effect of Fatty Acids Isolated from Edible Oils Like Mustard,Linseed or Coconut on Astrocytes Maturation

The omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3) has been previously shown to facilitate some of the vital functions of astrocytes. Since some dietary oils contain alpha-linolenic acid (ALA, 18:3n-3), which is a precursor of DHA, we examined their effect on astrocyte development. Fatty acids (FAs) were isolated from commonly used oils and their compositions were determined by GLC. FAs from three oils, viz. coconut, mustard and linseed were studied for their effect on astrocyte morphology. Parallel studies were conducted with FAs from the same oils after heating for 72 h. Unlike coconut oil, FAs from mustard and linseed, both heated and raw, caused significant morphogenesis of astrocytes in culture. ss-AR binding was also substantially increased in astrocytes treated with FAs from raw mustard and linseed oils as compared to astrocytes grown in normal medium. The expression profile of the isoforms of GFAP showed that astrocyte maturation by FAs of mustard and linseed oil was associated with appearance of acidic variants of GFAP and disappearance of some neutral isoforms similar to that observed in cultures grown in serum containing medium or in the presence of DHA. Taken together, the study highlights the contribution of specific dietary oils in facilitating astrocyte development that can have potential impact on human health.     

湖南产樟树不同部位精油分析(英文)

从湖南樟树花、嫩叶以及根皮三个部位中提取挥发油,通过GC／MS分析鉴定了其中含量占95％以上的40个化合物。采用ABTS’和LPO两种方法研究了三种精油的体外抗氧化能力,结果显示三种精油均表现较强的清除自由基和脂质过氧化物能力,三种精油清除能力均为根皮〉嫩叶〉樟花。     

New terpenoids in cultivated and wild chamomile (in vivo and in vitro)

The effect of Chamomilla recutita (L.) Rauschert is made up by several groups of active substances, among which terpenoids in the inflorescences are of greatest importance. Among cultivated species, the Hungarian BK-2 contains more chamazulene in its essential oil than the German Degumil type, which is mainly cultivated for its (-)-alpha-bisabolol. Both components have important antiinflammatory activities. Among wild chamomile populations in Hungary, a population was found in the area of Szabadkigyós containing significant amounts-on average 48%-of (-)-alpha-bisabolol in its inflorescence oil. In vitro cultures were made from this population to obtain propagation material containing a high number of active substances. The intact roots contained no (-)-alpha-bisabolol but the sesquiterpene alcohol beta-eudesmol as new compound was identified by our group. Sterile plantlets, cultured in vitro, were multiplied for phytochemical investigations. Pharmacologically important compounds of the essential oils were followed in great detail. The amount of in vitro cultured terpenoids and polyin compounds was compared with that of in vivo plants. These volatile compounds were identified by comparing their retention times with those of authentic standards, essential oils of known composition and peak enrichment. The confirmation of identity was done by comparison of their mass spectra with those reported in the literature and reference compounds. The percentage evaluation of each component was made by area normalisation. Gas chromatography (GC) and mass spectrometry (MS) showed that sterile chamomile cultures generated the most important terpenoid and polyin compounds characteristic of the parent plant. We identified germacrene-D, berkheyaradulene, 4-(2', 4', 4'-trimethyl-bicyclo[4.1.0]hept-2'-en-3'-yl)-3-buten-2-one, geranyl-isovalerate and cedrol as new components in these sterile cultures.     

樟树叶挥发性成分研究

通过GC/MS方法,对湖南樟树嫩叶、老叶以及枯叶挥发油的成分和抗氧化性能进行了研究,分析鉴定了其中含量占95%以上的31个化合物.结果表明:嫩叶中以Copaene(28.55%)、石竹烯(25.81%)和α-石竹烯(12.69%)为主要成分;老叶挥发油以芳樟醇含量最高(78.30%);枯叶挥发油主含石竹烯(38.64%...     

Antimicrobial activity of essential oils and structurally related synthetic food additives towards selected pathogenic and beneficial gut bacteria

AIMS: To assess the potential of essential oils and structurally related synthetic food additives in reducing bacterial pathogens in swine intestinal tract. METHODS AND RESULTS: The antimicrobial activity of essential oils/compounds was measured by determining the inhibition of bacterial growth. Among 66 essential oils/compounds that exhibited > or =80% inhibition towards Salmonellatyphimurium DT104 and Escherichia coli O157:H7, nine were further studied. Most of the oils/compounds demonstrated high efficacy against S. typhimurium DT104, E. coli O157:H7, and E. coli with K88 pili with little inhibition towards lactobacilli and bifidobacteria. They were also tolerant to the low pH. When mixed with pig cecal digesta, these oils/compounds retained their efficacy against E. coli O157:H7. In addition, they significantly inhibited E. coli and coliform bacteria in the digesta, but had little effect on the total number of lactobacilli and anaerobic bacteria. CONCLUSIONS: Some essential oils/compounds demonstrated good potential, including efficacy, tolerance to low pH, and selectivity towards bacterial pathogens, in reducing human and animal bacterial pathogens in swine intestinal tract. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: This study has identified candidates of essential oils/compounds for in vivo studies to develop antibiotic substitutes for the reduction of human and animal bacterial pathogens in swine intestinal tract.     

Biofumigation: Isothiocyanates released frombrassica roots inhibit growth of the take-all fungus

The presence of root tissue of the brassicas canola and Indian mustard inhibited growth of pure cultures of the fungal pathogen which causes take-all of wheat [Gaeumannomyces graminis (Sacc.) Arx and Oliver var.tritici, abbreviated as Ggt]. Ggt growth was generally inhibited more in the presence of Indian mustard roots than canola roots. Dried irradiated roots were consistently effective in reducing Ggt growth, but growth inhibition by young live roots and macerated roots was not consistent. The inhibitory compound(s) were shown to be volatile because the symmetry of Ggt growth was not affected by the proximity of theBrassica tissue. Volatile breakdown products from maceratedBrassica roots were identified using a gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer. The major compounds found were isothiocyanates (ITCs). Canola roots released mostly methyl ITC and Indian mustard roots released mostly phenylethyl ITC. Low concentrations of these and related compounds inhibited growth of Ggt in pure culture when supplied as the vapour of pure chemicals in concentrations within the range expected during breakdown ofBrassica roots in soil.     

Chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of the essential oils from Chloranthus japonicus Sieb. and Chloranthus multistachys Pei

We examined the composition and antimicrobial activity of two essential oils from Chloranthus japonicus Sieb. and Chloranthus multistachys Pei. GC-FID and GC-MS analyses identified 48 and 39 compounds, which represented 95.56% and 94.58%, respectively, of all components in these oils. Of these, 28 compounds were common to both, with a relatively high amount of oxygenated monoterpenes (50.95% and 39.97%). Antimicrobial properties were evaluated in vitro via disc diffusion and microbroth dilution assays. Activities were strong against most tested microorganisms, with inhibition zones ranging from 8.1 to 22.2 mm. For both species, minimum values for inhibitory and bactericidal concentrations were 0.39 to 12.50 mg/mL and 0.78 to 50.00 mg/mL, respectively. These results suggest that these essential oils are potent natural sources of antimicrobial agents for the medicinal and pharmaceutical industries.     

Antimicrobial Activity of Essential Oils Against the Fungal Pathogens <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ascosphaera apis</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pseudogymnoascus destructans</Emphasis>

Fungal pathogens are a growing worldwide concern. Declines in a number of economically and agriculturally important plant and animal species pose a significant threat to both biodiversity and food security. Although many effective antifungal agents have been identified, their toxicity often precludes their use with food products or sensitive animal species. This has prompted the exploration of natural products as effective treatment compounds. In the present study, several essential oils were tested for their capacity to limit the growth of the fungal pathogens Ascosphaera apis and Pseudogymnoascus destructans, the causative agents of chalkbrood disease among honey bee larvae and white-nose syndrome among bats, respectively. Essential oils of cinnamon bark, citronella, lemongrass, and orange were exposed to A. apis in contact-dependent oil-agar suspensions as well as in contact-independent shared airspaces. Essential oils of cinnamon bark, citronella, and lemongrass were exposed to P. destructans in contact-dependent oil-agar suspensions. All compounds were found to significantly inhibit mycelial growth at low concentrations, suggesting the potential for these natural products to be used for controlling these and other select fungal pathogens.     

油樟叶挥发油的镇痛活性研究

采用水蒸汽蒸馏法提取四川宜宾产油樟叶中挥发油,气相色谱-质谱联用仪鉴定油樟叶挥发油的主要化学成分,然后根据电热板和醋酸扭体实验研究不同剂量的油樟叶挥发油对小鼠疼痛阈值的影响。GC-MS结果显示,油樟叶挥发油主要含1,8-桉叶油素、α-萜品醇和香桧烯等26个主要化学成分,其中1,8-桉叶油素含量占58.55%。油樟叶挥发油中、低剂量组可延长小鼠对热致痛的痛阈时间,高、中剂量组可显著减少小鼠醋酸致痛扭体次数,镇痛百分率分别为74.69%和73.11%,与对照组呈极显著差异。     

Composition of essential oils of some lipidote Rhododendrons

Essential oils from leaves of 43 species of Rhododendron comprising 21 subsections were generally complex, and contained a number of compounds that were not identified. Caryophyllene, humulene, and one or more eudesmol isomers were the most commonly identified constituents. α-Pinene was the major component in eight of the oils, and germacrone was the major component in five of the oils. Monoterpenes were the major components of the oils in eight of the 12 species of subsection Triflora that were examined. Sesquiterpenes were major components in about 80% of the other 31 species.     

种植青蒿与野生青蒿精油成分对比分析

用水蒸气蒸馏法和GC-MS法对来源于重庆云阳的栽培青蒿和野生青蒿精油的化学成分进行分析.从冬季和春季栽培的青蒿精油中分别鉴定出29和28个化合物,野生青蒿精油中鉴定出21个化合物.3种精油的化学成分差别明显,两种栽培青蒿精油有16个化合物相同.而栽培青蒿与野生青蒿精油仅有6个化合物相同.这表明基因型对青蒿精油的组成起决定作用;而气候因素对各成分的相对含量有重要影响,尤其对蒿酮和樟脑的积累影响较大.本文对进一步研究青蒿精油中萜类化合物之间的生源关系具有一定的参考价值.