Bioactive Compounds and Antifungal Activities of Extracts of Lamiaceae Species

Origanum vulgare L. (oregano) and Rosmarinus officinalis L. (rosemary) are vegetal species belonging to the family Lamiaceae, popularly known as oregano and rosemary. Aromatic plants are used in the treatment and prevention of diseases and in the culinary as functional food in the preparation and conservation of foods. In the chemical composition of oregano and rosemary are present bioactive compounds with antimicrobial, antioxidant and flavoring effect. Several reports in the literature have presented the chemical composition and biological activity of the essential oils of oregano and rosemary. However, few studies have been carried out regarding the chemical composition and biological potential of the aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Origanum vulgare L. and Rosmarinus officinalis L. Evidencing a need to investigate the chemical composition and antifungal activity of these extracts. The objective of the study was to evaluate the bioactive compounds and antifungal activity of the aqueous and ethanolic extract of Origanum vulgare L. and Rosmarinus officinalis L. The aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Origanum vulgare L. and Rosmarinus officinalis L. present in the chemical composition phenolic acids and flavonoids. The antifungal test of the aqueous and ethanolic extract of Origanum vulgare L. and Rosmarinus officinalis L. presented antifungal potential against Candida globosa, Cryptococcus laurentii, Trichosporum assai, Rhodotorula sp., Candida albicans, Kodamaea ohmeri, Saccharomyces and Geotrichum. According to the results obtained in this study, it was concluded that the ethanolic extract of oregano and rosemary present antifungal activity against several yeasts tested, thus proving that these plant species must be carefully evaluated, aiming at a potential for use as an antimicrobial agent.

Chemical Composition and Antiviral Effect of Extracts of Origanum vulgare

This study aimed determine the activity of aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Origanum vulgare against some viruses of veterinary importance (bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV), equine arteritis virus (EAV), equine influenza virus (EIV), feline calicivirus (FCV), canine distemper virus (CDV), canine adenovirus (CAV), and canine cororavirus (CCoV) by evaluating the possibility of inhibition of viral particles production. The aqueous extract from 1600 μg/mL did not show cytotoxicity for all cellular lineages evaluated, Madin Darby bovine kidney cells (MDBK), Rabbit kidney cells (RK 13), Madin Darby canine kidney cells (MDCK) and Crandell feline kidney cells (CRFK), and the ethanolic extract of Origanum vulgare was not toxic at 600 μg/mL. The addition of aqueous extract of Origanum vulgare in media resulted in a significant reduction of the EAV titer from 105.42 infecting dose for cellular culture at 50% (TCID50) to 102.09 TCID50/100 μL while in the presence of the ethanolic extract of Origanum vulgare in media resulted in a significant reduction of the EAV titer from 105.42 TCID50 to 100.79 TCID50/100 μL. To CDV the addition of aqueous extract resulted in a reduction from 102.00 TCID50 to 100.00 TCID50/100 μL while in the presence of the ethanolic extract titers were reduced from 102.00 TCID50 to 101.50 TCID50/100 μL. No significant differences in titers regarding the others analyzed viruses were detected. With respect to chemical analysis of the extracts of Origanum vulgare, were identified in the ethanol extract phenolics rosmarinic acid, caffeic acid, carnosol, p-coumaric acid, carnosic acid, luteolin, apigenin, kaempferol and quercetin. In aqueous extracts of Origanum vulgare were detected rosmarinic acid, p-coumaric acid carnosic acid, luteolin, apigenin, kaempferol and quercetin. The data obtained stimulate other biological assays in order to determine which compounds are responsible for the antiviral activity as well as which are the mechanisms involved. The results presented and the considerations we were able to draw from them allowed us to conclude that the ethanolic extract of Origanum vulgare demonstrated lower cell viability than the aqueous extract and has significant antiviral activity against EAV and the both aqueous and ethanolic extracts have antiviral action against CDV.