Odoriferous Therapy: A Review Identifying Essential Oils against Pathogens of the Respiratory Tract

This review explores the body of scientific information available on the antimicrobial properties of essential oils against pathogens responsible for respiratory infections and critically compares this to what is recommended in the Layman's aroma‐therapeutic literature. Essential oils are predominantly indicated for the treatment of respiratory infections caused by bacteria or viruses (total 79.0 %), the efficacy of which has not been confirmed through clinical trials. When used in combination, they are often blended for presumed holistic synergistic effects. Of the essential oils recommended, all show some degree of antioxidant activity, 50.0 % demonstrate anti‐inflammatory effects and 83.3 % of the essential oils showed antihistaminic activity. Of the essential oils reviewed, 43.8 % are considered non‐toxic while the remaining essential oils are considered slightly to moderately toxic (43.7 %) or the toxicity is unknown (12.5 %). Recommendations are made for further research into essential oil combinations.     

Achillea filipendulina Lam.: Chemical Constituents and Antimicrobial Activities of Essential Oil of Stem,Leaf, and Flower

In this study, we extracted the essential oils of the stem, leaf, and flower of Achillea filipendulina, analyzed them, and studied their antibacterial properties. Of 16, 53, and 35 compounds identified in the stem, leaf, and flowers, respectively, only five are present in all three segments of the plant. The essential oil of the stem was mainly composed of neryl acetate, spathulenol, carvacrol, santolina alcohol, and trans‐caryophyllene oxide. However, the main identified components of leaf were 1,8‐cineole, camphor, ascaridole, trans‐isoascaridole, and piperitone oxide and the main components of the flower oil were ascaridole, trans‐isoascaridole, 1,8‐cineole, p‐cymene, and camphor. The extracted oil from different segments demonstrated varying antibacterial properties against both Gram‐positive and Gram‐negative bacteria, demonstrated by disk, minimum inhibitory concentration, and minimum bactericidal concentration methods. These suggest that the application of all segments of aerial parts of A. filipendulina may have a better therapeutic effect in fighting pathogenic systems.     

Pseudo-natural products and natural product-inspired methods in chemical biology and drug discovery

Through evolution, nature has provided natural products (NPs) as a rich source of diverse bioactive material. Many drug discovery programs have used nature as an inspiration for the design of NP-like compound classes. These concepts are guided by the prevalidated biological relevance of NPs while going beyond the limitations of nature to produce chemical matter that could have unexpected or novel bioactivities. Herein, we discuss, compare, and highlight recent examples of NP-inspired methods with a focus on the pseudo-NP concept.     

Comparative toxicity,growth inhibitory and biochemical effects of terpenes and phenylpropenes on Spodoptera littoralis (Boisd.)

Eleven monoterpenes, phenylpropenes and sesquiterpenes were evaluated for their insecticidal and growth inhibitory activities against the second and fourth larval instars of Spodoptera littoralis. Among the tested compounds, 1,8-cineole revealed the highest fumigant toxicity against the 2nd and 4th larval instars with LC₅₀ values of 2.32 and 3.13 mg/L air, respectively. The monoterpenes, p-cymene, α-terpinene, (−)α-pinene and (−)-carvone were highly toxic to both larval stages as their LC₅₀ values ranged between 7.35 and 13.79 mg/L air against 2nd larval instar and between 14.66 and 32.02 mg/L air against 4th larval instar. In topical application assay against the 4th larval instar, (−)-carvone (LD₅₀ = 0.15 mg/larva) and cuminaldehyde (LD₅₀ = 0.27 mg/larva) were the most potent contact toxicants. In residual film assay, trans-cinnamaldehyde, (−)-citronellal and p-cymene showed the highest insecticidal activity against the 2nd larval instar, while α-terpinene and (−)-carvone were most effective compounds against the 4th larval instar. Moreover, the tested compounds caused strong growth reduction of both larval stages with growth inhibition higher than 80% in the 2nd larval instar and higher than 70% in the 4th larval instar. On the other hand, (−)-carvone, cuminaldehyde and (Z,E)-nerolidol showed pronounced inhibitory effects on acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and adenosine triphosphatases (ATPases) activity of S. littoralis larvae. Cuminaldehyde (IC₅₀ = 1.04 mM) and (Z,E)-nerolidol (IC₅₀ = 0.02 mM) caused the highest inhibition of AChE and ATPases, respectively. Taken together, the results indicate that monoterpenes, phenylpropenes and phenylpropenes could be used to develop new botanical insecticides for S. littoralis management.     

Beneficial microbiota. Probiotics and pharmaceutical products in functional nutrition and medicine

The article is mainly devoted to such representatives of gut microbiota as lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria, with minor accent on less frequently used or new probiotic microorganisms. Positive effects in treatment and prevention of diseases by different microbial groups, their metabolites and mechanisms of action, management and market of probiotic products are considered.     

Thymol alleviates AGEs-induced podocyte injury by a pleiotropic effect via NF-κB-mediated by RhoA/ROCK signalling pathway

ABSTRACT

Advanced glycation end products (AGE) are those of the most powerful pathogenic factors that related to diabetic complications. In our study, we investigated the beneficial effects of thymol on AGE induced cell injury and apoptosis in human podocytes (HPCs) and attempted to clarify its mechanisms. Our results revealed that stimulation with AGE could significantly activate RhoA/NF-κB pathway. Results showed thymol could markedly suppress inflammatory responses, cell apoptosis and disordered cytoskeleton. Also thymol restored the expression of podocin, restrained migration capacity. Western blot analysis indicated that it could restore the expression of RhoA, ROCK and vimentin, nephrin, podocin and p65 and IκBα phosphorylation. Moreover, si-RhoA also suppressed the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, ROCK, and vimentin and the phosphorylation of p65 and IκBα. In conclusion, thymol inhibits AGE-induced cell injury in HPCs by suppressing the RhoA-NF-κB pathway and may be apromising therapeutic agent.     

Dietary intake of artificial food color additives containing food products by school-going children

Nutritional risk in children is associated with food safety. This is the first study to identify the food type consumed by 6–17-year-old school-going children in Saudi Arabia. Eight permitted artificial food color additives, including Tartrazine (E102), Sunset Yellow (E110), Carmoisine (E122), Allura Red (E129), Indigo Carmine (E132), Brilliant Blue (E133), Fast Green (E143), and Black PN (E151), and two non-permitted ones, Erythrosine (E127) and Red 2G (E128), were determined using 24-h dietary recall questionnaires. Artificial color additives in 839 food products were divided into nine categories, including biscuits, cakes, chocolates, chips, ice cream, juices and drinks, candy, jelly, and chewing gum, are determined using high performance liquid chromatography and diode array detector. The results indicated a high intake of juices and drinks, ice cream, and cakes, but low consumption of chewing gum among school-going children. Among the permitted artificial food color additives, Brilliant Blue (E133) (54.1%) and Tartrazine (E102) (42.3%) were the most commonly used. Sunset Yellow (E110) in one chocolate sample, Tartrazine (E102) and Sunset Yellow (E110) in one and two juice and drink samples, respectively, and Brilliant Blue (E133) in two candy samples exceeded the permitted level. Therefore, further investigations are needed to provide insights into the possible adverse health effects of high intake of these additives in artificial food coloring on the test population are warranted.     

Botanical candidates from Saudi Arabian flora as potential therapeutics for Plasmodium infection

Malaria is a lethal parasitic disease affecting over two hundred million people worldwide and kills almost half a million people per year. Until now, there is no curative treatment for this disease that has a substantial morbidity. The available chemotherapeutic agents are unable to completely control the infection with the continuous appearance of drug resistance. Consequently, the search for new therapeutic agents with high safety profiles and low side effects is of paramount importance. Several natural products have been investigated and proven to have antimalarial effects either in vivo or in vitro. A large number of plants have been studied globally for their antimalarial activities. However, studies that have been conducted in this field in Saudi Arabia are not enough. This article presents global and local research on the need for novel natural antimalarial agents with a particular emphasis on studies involving plants from Saudi Arabian flora.