Profiles of the Headspace Volatile Organic and Essential Oil Compounds from the Tunisian Cardaria draba (L.) Desv. and Its Leaf and Stem Epidermal Micromorphology

In this work, we investigated aroma volatiles emanated by dry roots, stems, leaves, flowers, and fruits of Cardariadraba (L.) Desv. growing wild in Tunisia and its aerial part essential oils (EOs) composition. A total of 37 volatileorganic compounds (96.7%–98.9%) were identified;4 esters, 4 alcohols, 7 hydrocarbons, 12 aldehydes, 5 ketones,1 lactone, 1 organosulfur compound, 2 organonitrogen compounds, and 1 acid. The hydrocarbons form the maingroup, representing 49.5%–84.6% of the total detected volatiles. The main constituent was 2,2,4,6,6-pentamethylheptane(44.5%–76.2%) reaching the highest relative percentages. Forty-two compounds were determined in thetwo fractions of EOs, representing 98.8% and 97.2% of the total oil composition, respectively. The principal componentswere hexadecanoic acid (34.6%), 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one (18.3%), decanal (15.0%), 6,10,14-trimethyl-2-pentadecanone (13.2%), and n-pentacosane (13%). Micromorphological details of the leaf and stem epidermisusing light microscopy revealed polygonal cells with sinuous walls in the adaxial and abaxial leaf surfaces andnearly rectangular and long ones with linear and thick walls for the stem epidermis. The stomata complexes wereanisocytic in the leaf epidermis and mainly anisocytic and rarely paracytic in the stem epidermis. Non-glandulartrichomes were unbranched and long with an acute apex or short with a convex apex. The glandular ones wereidentified for the first time in this species. They were short-stalked with a large secretory head. The highest stomatalindex (17.02%) was recorded in the abaxial leaf surface. The identification of headspace volatiles and essentialoil compounds can be used to characterize this species, and the various epidermis micromorphologicalfeatures are very useful for biosystematics taxonomic studies within Brassicaceae.

Chemical composition and antibacterial activity of essential oil of Launaea lanifera Pau grown in Algerian arid steppes

Objective: To evaluate the essential oil composition and the antibacterial activity of an Algerian endemic plant, Launaea lanifera Pau(L. lanifera), grown in arid steppe regions.Methods: L. lanifera essential oil was isolated from aerial parts by steam distillation and its chemical composition was evaluated by gas chromatographyflame ionization detector and gas chromatography with electron impact mass spectrometry. Furthermore, its in vitro antibacterial activity against four bacterial strains was tested following the agar disk diffusion method.Results: This species had a very low essential oil yield(0.005%). Twenty-four(92.6%)individual components were identified. The main constituents were hexahydrofarnesyl acetone(31.6%),(E)-b-ionone(8.5%),(E)-b-damascenone(7.0%), 2-methyltetradecane(3.8%), n-heptadecane(3.8%), limonene(2.8%) and b-caryophyllene(2.8%). No noteworthy antimicrobial activity was observed on the tested bacteria, neither Gram negative nor Gram positive.Conclusions: This is the first report on the volatile constituents and antibacterial activity of L. lanifera. The studied essential oil does not possess significant activity against the tested microorganisms.

Essential Oil of Phyllanthus reticulatus Poiret from Nigeria

The chemical composition of the essential oil obtained by hydrodistillation from the leaves of Phyllanthus reticulatus Poiret (Euphorbiaceae) growing in Nigeria has been studied. The constituents of the oil were analyzed by means of gas chromatography (GC-FID) and gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Monoterpenes (64.9%) were the dominant class of compounds, followed by sesquiterpenes (23.0%). The major constituents were α-pinene (6.0%), sabinene (7.6%), β-pinene (18.1%), linalool (6.9%) and camphor (7.7%), among the monoterpenes, and β-caryophyllene (11.9%) and germacrene D (8.6%) among the sesquiterpenes. This is the first report on the volatile constituents of Phyllanthus reticulatus.

A comparison study of the nutritional, mineral and volatile compositions of three dry forms of ginger rhizomes, and antioxidant properties of their ethanolic and aqueous extracts

Objective:To compare the most accessible dry forms of ginger rhizomes (Zingiber officinale) used as a spice and as a remedy in order to choose the best ginger for medicinal purpose. Methods:Freshly air dried ginger, commercially dry rhizomes and ginger available in powder form are investigated in terms of nutritional values (proximate and mineral compositions) and volatiles profile. Ethanolic and aqueous extracts (decoctions and infusions) were prepared for total phenolic, flavonoid and tannin contents determination. Also, three standard tests were established in order to estimate the best extract with the better antioxidant potential. Results:The results showed unlike proximate composition revealing different nutritional values. In fact, freshly dried ginger contained much ash, while already dry samples contained much protein. In addition, mineral contents of studied samples indicated their dissimilar richness especially in Ca, Mg, Na, K, Cu, Fe, and Mn. Solid phase micro-extraction gave volatile profiles with many interesting compounds, only 26 from the 51 identified components were common to studied samples with bioactive compounds predominance in freshly dried sample. Also, the antioxidant potential established by three different tests was higher in already dry samples and was positively correlated with their higher contents in the determined phytochemicals. The ethanolic extracts showed higher antioxidant activities than aqueous extracts. Decoctions and infusions were almost similar proving that long cooking time did not affect ginger antioxidant potential. Conclusions:This work highlighted the benefits of traditional preparations of ginger as sources of bioactive compounds, namely antioxidants, and proved that the available commercial samples are not identical and encouraged analyzing samples before uses depending on needs.

Roots and rhizomes of wild Asparagus:Nutritional composition,bioactivity and nanoencapsulation of the most potent extract

The nutritional composition and bioactive properties of roots and rhizomes of Asparagus stipularis were evaluated.Antioxidant activity of extracts obtained by infusion was evaluated using free radicals scavenging and reducing power methods.Porcine liver primary cell was used to check the hepatotoxicity of infusions.Results revealed that Asparagus samples are likely a source of nutrients,such as dietary fibre and essential fatty acids.HPLC-DAD-ESI/MS characterization of infusions allowed the identification and quantitation of 7 phenolic compounds,all hydroxycinnamoyl derivatives,with caffeic acid as the most abundant.Roots infusion contained the highest amounts of these compounds.It also exhibited the highest antioxidant activity in all assays,with EC_(50) values of 0.44±0.01,0.98±0.03 and 0.64±0.01 mg/mL for DPPH,ABTS and FRAP assays,respectively,with no toxicity towards PLP2 primary cell cultures(GI_(50)>400μg/mL).PLGA nanoparticles loaded with root extract were prepared using solvent-evaporation double emulsion method.Nanoparticles size was about 260 nm and a polydispersity index around 0.1,with a zeta potential of about-36 mV,as well as a good encapsulation efficiency of approximately 83%.Their morphology was analysed by SEM and spherical polymeric nanoparticles with a smooth surface were observed.FTIR and DSC were also performed,which allowed corroborating the efficacy of the encapsulation and to confirm the production of a stable and robust system to load Asparagus extracts.The developed nanoparticles are expected to be used as delivery systems for bioactive compounds of A.stipularis and they could be used as an innovative dietary supplement.

Antioxidant activity, volatile and nonvolatile composition of twoPhoenix dactylifera L. by-products

Objective:To examine the nonvolatile components of the date pulp and seeds of two minor Tunisian date palm cultivars Arechti and Korkobbi at besser stage and to investigate their antioxidant activity, their phytochemical compounds and their aromatic volatiles composition. Methods:The physico-chemical properties, the aroma composition, the mineral profile, the phytochemical content and thein vitro antioxidant activity of those two common date palm fruit varieties and those of their seeds were evaluated. All measurements were made at the besser stage, which showed the highest amount of secondary metabolites. Results:New volatiles compounds are detected in both flesh and seeds and the results revealed that those by products are a suitable source of mineral content and have a high potential of natural antioxidants and good antiradical capacities. Conclusions: Thanks to their characteristics, they could potentially be considered as a cheap resource for new functional food ingredient and novel pharmaceutical applications.

In vitro antibacterial activity of the Hertia cheirifolia L.essential oils

Objective:To investigate the antibacterial activity of essential oils from Hertia cheirifolia L.flowers,vegetative part(leaves+stems)and roots against a panel of bacterial strains.Methods:The essential oils from Hertia cheirifolia L.flowers,vegetative part(leaves+stems)and roots were analyzed by gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.The antibacterial activity of essential oils was evaluated in vitro by the broth dilution method.Results:The results showed that the essential oil of flowers exhibited a strong antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus with minimal inhibitory concentration of 0.078 mg/mL.Conclusions:The essential oils of Hertia cheirifolia can be a good source of antibacterial compounds.They can be used for pharmaceutical treatments.