Dietary supplementation of benzoic acid and essential oils combination enhances intestinal resilience against LPS stimulation in weaned piglets

Background The benefits of combining benzoic acid and essential oils(BAO)to mitigate intestinal impairment during the weaning process have been well established,while the detailed underlying mechanism has not been fully elucidated.Previous research has primarily focused on the reparative effects of BAO on intestinal injury,while neglecting its potential in enhancing intestinal stress resistance.Methods In this study,we investigated the pre-protective effect of BAO against LPS-induced stress using a modified experimental procedure.Piglets were pre-supplemented with BAO for 14 d,followed by a challenge with LPS or saline to collect blood and intestinal samples.Results Our findings demonstrated that BAO supplementation led to significant improvements in piglets’final weight,average daily gain,and feed intake/body gain ratio.Additionally,BAO supplementation positively influenced the composition of intestinal microbiota,increasing beneficial Actinobacteriota and Alloprevotella while reducing harmful Desulfobacterota,Prevotella and Oscillospira.Furthermore,BAO supplementation effectively mitigated oxidative disturbances and inflammatory responses induced by acute LPS challenge.This was evidenced by elevated levels of T-AOC,SOD,and GSH,as well as decreased levels of MDA,TNF-α,and IL-6 in the plasma.Moreover,piglets subjected to LPS challenge and pre-supplemented with BAO exhibited significant improvements in intestinal morphological structure and enhanced integrity,as indicated by restored expression levels of Occludin and Claudin-1 compared to the non-supplemented counterparts.Further analysis revealed that BAO supplementation enhanced the jejunal antioxidative capacity by increasing GSH-Px levels and decreasing MDA levels under the LPS challenge and stimulated the activation of the Nrf2 signaling pathway.Additionally,the reduction of TLR4/NF-κB/MAPK signaling pathways activation and proinflammatory factor were also observed in the jejunal of those piglets fed with BAO.Conclusions In summary,our study demonstrates that pre-supplementation of BAO enhances the anti-stress capacity of weaned piglets by improving intestinal microbiota composition,reinforcing the intestinal barrier,and enhancing antioxidative and anti-inflammatory capabilities.These effects are closely associated with the activation of Nrf2 and TLR4/NF-κB/MAPK signaling pathways.

Antibacterial,antioxidant and antiproliferation activities of essential oils and ethanolic extracts from Chinese mugwort(Artemisia vulgaris L.)leaf in Shanxi

Background:Artemisia vulgaris,a medicinal aromatic plant,is widely used as a food item,tonic pharmaceutical,and cosmetic industry additive owing to its antibacterial,antihypertensive,hepatoprotective,antioxidant,and antispasmodic properties.But the effect of different geographic locations on the chemical composition and bioactivities of its extracts is unclear.Methods:Biological activities of essential oils and ethanol extracts of three varieties of Artemisia vulgaris leaves,which are grown in Shanxi province China,were studied.Results:Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis revealed that the main components of essential oils were terpenes and ketones.Essential oils and ethanol extract of Artemisia vulgaris leaves possessed good antioxidant activities,and their half maximal inhibitory concentrations determined using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl and 2,2’-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonate)assays were 57.0 and 22.9μg/mL,respectively.The essential oils also exhibited remarkable antibacterial activity against three foodborne pathogenic bacterial strains.The ethanol extract presented a high anticancer activity against the MGC-803 human gastric cancer cell line.Conclusion:These biological activities were well correlated with the composition of the extract and EOs,which in turn is affected by the genetic composition of Artemisia vulgaris and geographic location and diverse climatic condition under which it is grown.These findings demonstrate the remarkable potential of Artemisia vulgaris as a valuable source of antioxidant,antibacterial,and anticancer agents.

Cosmetic or Dietary Vegetable Oils Sampled in the Cameroonian Market May Not Expose Consumers to Lipid Oxidation Products Generating Oxidative Stress and Inflammation

Vegetable oils are a source of energy, essential fatty acids, antioxidants and fat-soluble vitamins useful for human health care and development. These oils also contribute to organoleptic quality of their products’ derivatives. However, their chemical and physical properties can be modified by the mode of their extraction, storage and distribution. These modifications might negatively affect the nutritional quality of the oils. The goals of this study were to: sample different vegetable oils for cosmetic or dietary use marketed in Cameroon, and verify purity and oxidation states of each kind of oil through determination of its acidity, iodine, peroxide, saponification, refractive indexes and the conformity of the labeling. The carotene content, the level of polar components and specific absorbance were also determined. As the result, six oils namely palm, palm kernel, coconut, black cumin, peanut and shea butter were collected. Apart from labeling, chemicals and physicals parameters analyzed were generally in accordance with the Cameroonian and Codex Alimentarius standard. This study suggests that vegetable oils sampled in the Cameroonian market may not expose consumers to lipid oxidation products generating pathological oxidative stress and inflammation. However, efforts in application of existing standard need to be done as far as labeling are concerned.

A review:Health benefits and physicochemical characteristics of blended vegetable oils

Oil blending is the method of choice used worldwide to improve oxidative stability and nutritional value.There is no such edible oil/fat that meets all the recommendations from the health point of view.The fatty acid composition of vegetable oils decides the fate of the oil.Pure single oil is unable to provide a balanced amount of fatty acids(FAs)required/recommended on a daily intake basis.Blending oils/fats is an appropriate procedure of physically mixing multiple oils in suitable proportions which may provide functional lipids with improved antioxidant potential and desirable physical and chemical properties.This review piled up the accessible data on the blending of diverse oils/fats in the combination of binary,ternary,quaternary,or other types of oils into a single blended oil.Blending can be found very convincing towards appropriate FA profile,enhancement in physicochemical characteristics,and augmented stability for the period of storage or when used as cooking/frying processes which could ultimately serve as an effectual dietary intervention towards the health protectiveness.

The combined effects of farm yard manure and boron application on growth,and oil quality of Canola grown under newly reclaimed soils

Two field experiments were conducted during the main seasons of 2021/2022 at the Research and Production Station of National Research Centre in Egypt to investigate the effects of farmyard manure(FYM)and boron on Canola growth,yield,oil yield,and quality.The results unequivocally demonstrated that the combined application of FYM at a rate of 14.4 ton ha^(-1)with a foliar spray of boron at 100 ppm positively influenced plant characteristics,leading to enhanced growth rates and higher yields compared to the control group.Moreover,this integrated approach significantly improved nutrient content by enhancing levels of oil content,carbohydrates,proteins,phenolics,flavonoids,and total soluble sugars.These findings provide compelling evidence that utilizing farm manure along with boron can effectively enhance Canola properties in newly reclaimed soils while promoting sustainable agricultural practices.

Novel Method for Evaluating the Aging of Aviation Turbine Engine Oils via High-Temperature Bearing Deposit Tests

Aviation turbine engine oils require excellent thermal-oxidative stability because of their high-temperature environments.High-temperature bearing deposit testing is a mandatory method for measuring the thermal-oxidative performance of aviation lubricant oils,and the relevant apparatus was improved in the present study.Two different commercial aviation turbine engine oils were tested,one with standard performance(known as the SL oil)and the other with high thermal stability,and their thermal-oxidative stability characteristics were evaluated.After 100 h of high-temperature bearing testing,the SL oil was analyzed by using various analytical techniques to investigate its thermal-oxidative process in the bearing test,with its thermal-oxidative degradation mechanism also being discussed.The results indicate that the developed high-temperature bearing apparatus easily meets the test requirements of method 3410.1 in standard FED-STD-791D.The viscosity and total acid number(TAN)of the SL oil increased with the bearing test time,and various deposits were produced in the bearing test,with the micro-particles of the carbon deposits being sphere-like,rod-like,and sheet-like in appearance.The antioxidant additives in the oil were consumed very rapidly in the first 30 h of the bearing test,with N-phenyl-1-naphthylamine being consumed faster than dioctyldiphenylamine.Overall,the oil thermal-oxidative process involves very complex physical and chemical mechanisms.

Heavy Metal Levels and Ecological Risk in Crude Oil-Contaminated Soils from Okpare-Olomu, Niger Delta, Nigeria

Crude oil spills have inflicted extensive disruption upon the Niger Delta ecosystem, resulting in crop loss and severe environmental damage. Such spills exacerbate heavy metal concentration within soil due to the presence of metallic ions. The Okpare-Olomu community has borne the brunt of crude oil pollution from illicit bunkering, sabotage, and equipment malfunction. This study targets an evaluation of ecological hazards linked to heavy metals (HMs) in crude oil impacted agriculturally soils within Okpare-Olomu in Ughelli South LGA of Delta State. In this study, 24 topsoil samples were obtained from areas affected by crude oil pollution;the heavy metal content was evaluated through atomic absorption spectrometry. The concentration ranges for HMs (mg/kg) in soil were: 24.1 - 23,174 (Cu);0.54 - 37.1 (Cd);9.05 - 54 (Cr);12 - 174 (Ni);18.5 - 8611 (Pb);and 148 - 9078 (Zn) at a soil depth of 0 - 15 cm. Notably, metal concentrations were recorded to be above permissible World Health Organization limits. Predominantly, Zn and Pb recorded higher heavy metal concentration when compared to other heavy metals analysed, notably at sampling points PT7 through PT24. Zinc and Pb contamination exhibited highly significant contamination factors, and contamination severity was evidenced across all sample points, signifying a grave risk level. Pollution load indices indicated pervasive extreme pollution levels. Geoaccumulation indices signaled moderate to strong pollution, mainly by Pb and Zn. Ecological risk assessments revealed variable levels of heavy metal contamination, from low to very high, with potential ecological risk reflecting markedly elevated levels. This study underscores the imperative for soil remediation to rectify ecological imbalances in agriculturally affected soil constituents.

Predictive methods for density and refractive index of naphthenic lubricating oils during solvent extraction process

Lubricating oils are usually produced by solvent extraction to separate aromatics in order to achieve the desired specifications and better quality products.Among the different properties of lubricating oils,density and refractive index are some of the most important properties which can both be used for petroleum fluid characterization.Predictions of density and refractive index for naphthenic oils during solvent extraction by DMSO obtained by the pseudo-component approach and the quadratic correlation were both examined.The pseudo-component approach is a method to predict density and refractive index from composition while the latter merely relates density to refractive index.Results indicated that the predictions yielded by the pseudo-component method were in good agreement with experimental data for naphthenic oils.And the use of a function of refractive index(FRI_(20))as a pseudo-component property remarkably improved n_(20)predictions for the naphthenic mixtures.However,the density and refractive index predictions obtained by the quadratic correlation exhibited significantly higher de-viations for naphthenic oils than those for paraffinic oils.Thus a new modified correlation of the same functional form was proposed for naphthenic oils.The modification significantly improved predictions for naphthenic oils,which presented similar accuracy as the pseudo-component approach.And the previous correlation was still used for paraffinic oils.Additionally,effect of temperature on density and refractive index of naphthenic oils was examined.Results showed that the modified quadratic correlation was accurate for describing the relationship between density and refractive index of naphthenic oils at 20-90℃.The temperature dependence of density and refractive index for the raffinates and the extracts could be accurately described by the thermal coefficients for saturates and aromatics,respectively.Regarding the refractive index variation of the extracts with temperature,the empirical equation was proved to be a better option compared with the method using the thermal coefficient for aromatics.

Fusarium wilt of banana:Current update and sustainable disease control using classical and essential oils approaches

Fusarium species were reported to produce biofilms.Biofilms are superficial societies of microbes bounded and endangered by being situated or taking place outside a cell or cells.The most destructive fungal diseases caused by phytopathogens are as a result of biofilms formation.Fusarium wilt of banana(Panama disease)is caused by a soil-borne pathogen called Fusarium oxysporum f.sp.cubense.Fusarium oxysporum occurs in a form of a species complex(FOSC)which encompasses a crowd of strains.Horizontal genetic factor transfer may donate to the observed assortment in pathogenic strains,while sexual reproduction is unknown in the FOSC.Fusarium wilt is a notorious disease on several crops worldwide.Yield loss caused by this pathogen is huge,and significant to destroy crop yields annually,thereby affecting the producer countries in various continents of the world.The disease is also resistant to various synthetic chemical fungicides.However,excessive use of synthetic fungicides during disease control could be lethal to humans,animals,and plants.This calls for alternative eco-friendly management of this disease by targeting the biofilms formation and finally suppressing this devastating phytopathogen.In this review,we,therefore,described the damage caused by Fusarium wilt disease,the concept of filamentous fungal biofilms,classical control strategies,sustainable disease control strategies using essential oils,and prevention and control of vegetables Fusarium wilt diseases.

Intellectual Property Protection,Inheritance,Innovation and Development of Woody Edible Oilseeds in Hubei Province

Only by developing woody edible oilseeds industry can we ensure the safety of the important industrial chain and supply chain of vegetable edible oil in China.There are 13 kinds of woody edible oil plants in Hubei,including Camellia oleifera Abel(oil tea),Juglans regia L.(walnut),Olea europaea L.(olive)and Paeonia suffruticosa(oil peony).This paper studies the main industries of woody edible oilseeds in Hubei Province and their intellectual property resources,and analyzes the main problems in their intellectual property protection,inheritance,innovation and development.Finally,it proposes some strategies,including carrying forward the traditional knowledge related to woody edible oilseeds,innovating the"agricultural chip",creating key counties of national woody edible oil seeds,and developing industrial clusters with national advantages and characteristics.

Carbon isotopic compositions of mono-, di-, tri-aromatics provide insights into the source of sulfur-rich crude oils in the Huanghekou Depression, Bohai Bay Basin

The stable carbon isotope compositions (δ13C) of individual aromatic hydrocarbons have been analyzed in sulfur-rich and sulfur-lean crude oils from the Huanghekou Depression, Bohai Bay Basin. The δ13C values of individual aromatic hydrocarbons, including alkylbenzenes, alkylnaphthalenes, alkylphenanthrenes, alkylfluorenes and alkyldibenzothiophenes, are reported. The main aims are to find out the origin of these oils and their relationship to paleoclimate. The distribution of aromatic hydrocarbons and maturity parameters show the oils all stay in the low-mature to mature stage. Meanwhile, aromatic hydrocarbons are mainly derived from the diagenetic/catagenetic origin. The δ13C values for 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene (−30.7‰ to −28.8‰) and 1,2,3,4-tetramethylbenzene (−32.4‰ to −26.3‰) indicate the algae-derived organic matter for alkylbenzenes. Some isomers, such as 1,7-+1,3-+1,6-dimethylnaphthalene, 1,2,5-trimethylnaphthalene, 1,2,5,6-+1,2,3,5-tetramethylnaphthalene, 1,10-+1,3-+3,10-+3,9-dimethylphenanthrenes, 1,6-+2,9-+2,5-dimethylphenanthrenes and 4,9-+4,10-+1,9- dimethylphenanthrenes show isotopic depletion (−34.9‰ to −25.2‰), indicating the major contribution of algae for these compounds. Meanwhile, isotopically depleted (−33.6‰ to −26.7‰) alkyldibenzothiophenes represent the algae input. δ13C values for mainly algae-derived naphthalene to trimethylnaphthalenes of sulfur-rich oils are more enriched than those of sulfur-lean oil, with the most significant difference of 4.4‰, indicating that the aridity of the environment and stratified water column result in the enrichment in 13C.

Simulation of Solvent Extraction for Naphthenic Lubricating Base Oils

Solvent extraction is the process of separating aromatics from vacuum distillates for the production oflubricating base oils. In this study, the authors use dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) instead of furfural as solvent, in light of itshigher selectivity, to obtain extracts with a high aromatic content for naphthenic lubricating base oils. We systematicallyinvestigated effects of the solvent-to-oil (S/O) ratio and extraction temperature on the yield of the extract, efficiency ofaromatic removal, and composition of the extracts and raffinates. The results showed that the aromatic content of extractsfor naphthenic oils could reach a high value of about 80%. The solvent maintained a high selectivity for aromatics fornaphthenic oils even under a high S/O ratio and a high extraction temperature. Moreover, the efficiency of aromatic removalfor naphthenic lubricating base oils could be enhanced by increasing either the S/O ratio or the extraction temperature,although these measures had limited effects in practice. Following this, we used the non-random two-liquid (NRTL) modelbased on the pseudo-component approach to simulate the liquid-liquid equilibrium of the system of DMSO + naphtheniclubricating base oils, and determined the parameters of binary interaction through regression based on the data on phaseequilibrium. The modeling results showed that the predicted yield, content of the solvent, and composition of the raffinatesand extracts were in good agreement with those obtained in the experiments. This validates the reliability of the model usedto represent the DMSO + naphthenic lubricating base oil system. Both the experimental data and the method of simulationreported here can help optimize the extraction of naphthenic lubricating base oils, and provide a better understanding of thecorresponding process.

Dietary supplemental coated essential oils and organic acids mixture improves growth performance and gut health along with reduces Salmonella load of broiler chickens infected with Salmonella Enteritidis

Background Reducing Salmonella infection in broiler chickens by using effective and safe alternatives to antibiotics is vital to provide safer poultry meat and minimize the emergence of drug-resistant Salmonella and the spread of salmonellosis to humans.This study was to first evaluate the protective efficacy of feeding coated essential oils and organic acids mixture(EOA)on broiler chickens infected with Salmonella Enteritidis(S.Enteritidis,SE),and then its action mechanism was further explored.Methods A total of 4801-day-old Arbor Acres male chickens were randomly assigned into five treatments with six replicates,including non-challenged control fed with basal diet(A),SE-challenged control(B),and SE-infected birds fed a basal diet with 300 mg/kg of EOA(BL),500 mg/kg of EOA(BM)and 800 mg/kg of EOA(BH),respectively.All birds on challenged groups were infected with Salmonella Enteritidis on d 13.Results Feeding EOA showed a reversed ability on negative effects caused by SE infection,as evidenced by decreasing the feed conversion rate(FCR)and the ratio of villus height to crypt depth(VH/CD)(P<0.05),obviously decreasing intestinal and internal organs Salmonella load along with increasing cecal butyric acid-producing bacteria abundance(P<0.05).Moreover,supplemental different levels of EOA notably up-regulated claudin-1(CLDN-1),occludin(OCLN),zonula occludens-1(ZO-1),mucin-2(MUC-2),fatty acid binding protein-2(FABP-2),nuclear factor kappa-light-chainenhancer of activated B cells(NF-κB),myeloid differential protein-88(MyD88)and interleukin-6(IL-6)mRNA levels in the ileum of the infected chickens after challenge,whereas down-regulated toll-like receptor-4(TLR-4)mRNA levels(P<0.05).Linear discriminant analysis combined effect size measurements analysis(LEfSe)showed that the relative abundance of g_Butyricicoccus,g_Anaerotruncus and g_unclassified_f_Bacillaceae significantly was enriched in infected birds given EOA.Also,phylogenetic investigation of communities by reconstruction of unobserved states(PICRUSt)analysis showed that alpha-linolenic acid metabolism,fatty acid metabolism and biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids were significantly enriched in the EOA group.Conclusion Our data suggest that the essential oils and organic acids mixture can be used as an effective strategy to ameliorate and alleviate Salmonella Enteritidis infection in broilers.

Comparative advantages of chemical compositions of specific edible vegetable oils

As important supplementary to major edible oils, comparative chemical advantages of minor edible oils decidetheir development and usage. In this study, chemical composition of 13 kinds of specific edible vegetable oilswere investigated. The comparative advantages of chemical compositions of these edible oils were obtained asfollows: (1) camellia, tiger nut and almond oil were rich in oleic acid, the contents of which accounted for79.43%, 69.16% and 66.26%, respectively;(2) safflower oil contained the highest content of linoleic acid(76.69%), followed by grape seed (66.85%) and walnut oil (57.30%);(3) perilla seed, siritch, peony seed andherbaceous peony seed oil were rich in α-linolenic acid (59.61%, 43.74%, 40.83% and 30.84%, respectively);(4)the total phytosterol contents of these oils ranged from 91.46 mg/100 g (camellia oil) to 506.46 mg/100 g (siritchoil);and (5) The best source of tocopherols was sacha inchi oil (122.74 mg/100 g), followed by perilla seed oil(55.89 mg/100 g), peony seed oil (53.73 mg/100 g) and herbaceous peony seed oil (47.17 mg/100 g). Thecomparative advantages of these specific edible oils indicated that they possess the high potential nutritionalvalues and health care functions.

Essential Oils as an Alternative to Antibiotics to Reduce the Incidence and Severity of Necrotic Enteritis in Broiler Chickens: A Short Review

Due to the removal of antibiotic growth promoters (AGPs) and consumer pressure for antibiotic-free (ABF) or no antibiotics ever (NAE) poultry production, there is a need for sustainable alternatives to prevent disease in commercial poultry operations. Without AGPs, there has been a rise in diseases that were traditionally controlled by subtherapeutic levels of antibiotics in the diet. This has impacted the health of commercial poultry and has been a significant cost to poultry producers. To mitigate this, the industry has started to investigate alternatives to antibiotics to treat these forthcoming health issues, such as necrotic enteritis (NE). NE is an enteric disease caused by an over proliferation of toxigenic Clostridium perfringens (CP) in the gastrointestinal tract. Although CP is a commensal in the avian intestinal tract, dysbiosis caused by inflammation and impaired intestinal integrity facilitates uncontrolled replication of CP. Infectious agents, such as Eimeria maxima, appear to be a predominant predisposing factor that promotes NE. However, non-infectious stressors, including dietary changes, have also been associated with NE to some degree. As a result of increased pressure to restrict the use of antibiotics, there is a need for research evaluating the efficacy of alternatives, such as plant-derived essential oils, as potential tools to mitigate NE in commercial poultry flocks. The aim of this study is to review the effects of essential oils as an alternative to antibiotics to reduce the incidence and severity of necrotic enteritis in broiler chickens.

Simultaneous Determination of 2- and 3-MCPD Esters in Infant Formula Milk Powder and Edible Vegetable Oils by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry

Esters of 2- and 3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol (MCPD) are significative contaminants of processed edible oils used as foods or food ingredients. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a new method by GC-MS for the simultaneous quantification of 2 and 3-MCPD esters in infant milk powder and edible vegetable oils. The developed protocol included fat fraction in infant milk powder and edible vegetable oils samples was extracted and treated with sodium methylate-methanol to cleave the ester bonds of the 2- and 3-MCPD esters, moreover, standard samples of deuterium isotope-labeled 2- and 3-MCPD palmitic acid double esters and stearic acid double esters were used as the internal standards. Furthermore, this method was validated when it was applied to food products, concrete manifestation in its good accuracy (the recovery of MCPD esters ranged from 86% to 114%), high sensitivity (the LOD of 3-MCPD and 2-MCPD esters were 0.025 and 0.020 mg/kg, LOQ were 0.075, 0.060 mg/kg, respectively) and satisfactory repeatability (RSD below 6.8%) for all analytes. In the 150 commercial edible vegetable oils and infant formula milk powder samples, we obtained a preliminary profile of MCPD ester contamination.

Chemotaxonomic Study of the Covid-Organics of Madagascar Based on the Chemical Composition of Their Essential Oils

The aim of this study was to investigate the chemical composition of the essential oils of “Covid-Organics” of Madagascar (62% Artemisia annua and two other undisclosed medicinal plants) used as curative and preventive treatments of Covid-19, to identify its constituent species. The essential oils isolated by hydro-distillation from two samples (curative and preventive) were analyzed by GC-FID and GC-MS. These essential oils (curative and preventive) were mainly dominated by camphor (17.9% and 11.9%, respectively), spathulenol (4.8% and 11.8%, respectively), α-acorenol (4.3% and 3.7%, respectively), (E)-β-caryophyllene (3.4% and 4.2%, respectively), 1,8-cineole (3.1% and 3.6%, respectively), hexadecanoïc acid (3.8% and 3.2%, respectively) and caryophyllene oxide (3.4% and 2.4%, respectively). From the chemical composition, two species were identified, A. annua characterised by camphor and Cinnamomumcamphora (Ravintsara) characterised by 1,8-cineole and sabinene. However, we were unable to identify the third species.

Preservation Potentials of Essential Oils of Ocimum basilicum and Ocimum gratissimum from Two Agro-Ecological Zones on Freshwater Smoke-Dried Oreochromis niloticus Fish Sold in Some Local Markets in Cameroon

Dried fish are susceptible to bacteria and fungi attack and are liable to chemical changes which cause losses in quality and reduction of shelf-life. It is important therefore to maintain the quality of fish because continuous consumption of contaminated fish and their products may predispose consumers to health hazards. Maintenance of high quality fish therefore calls for adequate and effective preservation techniques. The study examined the effectiveness of essential oils of Ocimum basilicum and Ocimum gratissimum from two Agro-ecological zones of Cameroon in limiting the microbial proliferation and preserving the quality of smoke-dried Oreochromis niloticus fish stored at 25˚C for two months. The plant materials were harvested from the Western Highlands and Monomodal Humid Forest agroecological zones of Cameroon. Extraction of the essential oil from the plants was done by hydro-distillation. The fish species (Oreochromis niloticus) used in this study was chosen based on a survey study on the most consumed species of freshwater smoke-dried fish in the Western Highlands and Monomodal Humid Forest Agro-ecological zones of Cameroon. Heterotrophic bacteria counts, fungi counts and Enterobacteriaceae counts were used to assess the level heterotrophic bacteria, fungi and Enterobacteriaceae respectively in the fish samples during storage and were done by culture techniques using total plate count agar, potato dextrose agar and violet red bile glucose agar respectively. Total volatile basic nitrogen, peroxide value, and thiobarbituric acid reactive substance assays were used as spoilage indices to assess the nutritional quality of the fish during storage. From the survey study, Oreochromis niloticus was the most consumed smoke-dried fish in the Western Highlands (35.45%) and Monomodal Humid Forest (34.55%) agroecological zones. All the EOs caused a significant reduction in the microbial loads, total volatile basic nitrogen, peroxide value, and thiobarbituric acid reactive substance of smoke-dried Oreochromis niloticus as storage progressed. However, the reduction in these values was more pronounced in samples treated with essential oils of O. gratissimum from the Western Highlands, with heterotrophic bacteria, fungi and Enterobacteriaceae counts being 5.89, 6.97 and 4.59 log10 cfu/g respectively at the end of the storage period. This was followed by essential oils of O. gratissimum from the Monomodal Humid Forest with heterotrophic bacteria, fungi and Enterobacteriaceae counts being 6.11, 7.79 and 4.86 log10 cfu/g respectively at the end of the storage period. Also, essential oils of O. gratissimum from the Western Highlands was more effective in preserving the fish quality as lowest total volatile basic nitrogen (12.29 mg/100g), peroxide value (2.79 mEq O2·Kg−1) and thiobabituric reactive substance (1.695 mg MDA/Kg) values were observed for fish samples treated with this extract at the end of the storage period. This was followed by essential oils of O. gratissimum from the Monomodal Humid Forest with total volatile basic nitrogen (14.95 mgN/100g), Peroxide value (3.23 mEq O2·Kg−1) and thiobabituric reactive substance (2.354 mg MDA/Kg) at the end of the storage period. From the results obtained, essential oils from O. gratissimum were more effective than that from O. basilicum in the two agroecological zones and should be considered as natural alternative to chemical preservatives for further application in food preservation.

In Vitro Evaluation of the Antifungal Activity of Essential Oils of Thymus vulgaris and Cymbopogon citratus on Some Strains of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, Agent Responsible for White Rot of Beans

The present work was aimed to the study of the antifungal activity of essential oils of two aromatic plants against three strains of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum responsible for white rot of bean. The two essential oils (EO) of the studied plants: Thymus vulgaris (HET) and Cymbopogon citratrus (HEC), used at different concentrations: C1 (0.75 ml/ml), C2 (1.5 ml/ml) and C3 (3 ml/ml) presented significant inhibitory activities on the three tested fungal strains namely Bia 1, Bia 2, and Njo 2. Two control treatments (T-: containing no antifungal substance and T+: synthetic fungicide) were also used. The antifungal activity here is related to the inhibition of mycelial growth especially with high concentrations of essential oils. Thus, against S. sclerotiorum, HET showed the highest activity comparable to that of T+ (100% inhibition) at all concentrations on the Bia 1 and Bia 2 strains and at concentration C3 on the Njo 2 strain compared to that of HEC, which certainly inhibited the mycelial growth of the different strains considerably (with a maximum of 78.15% on the Njo 2 strain) but not completely. According to their sensitivity, the Bia 2 strain showed a higher sensitivity to essential oils than the others while the Njo 2 strain was more aggressive. On the basis of MIC50 and MIC90 obtained on the Njo 2 strain, the HET turns out to be the most efficient with respective lower values of (1.73 and 23.34 ml/ml) against (4.76 and 26.03 ml/ml) for the HEC. These EO could thus be exploited as biodegradable antifungal substances, likely to control white rot of bean.

Antioxidant activity of six essential oils and its molecules in Ecuadorian Andean medicinal plants

Background:This research values the antioxidant activity and its responsible molecules in six essential oils from medicinal plants in the Ecuadorian Andes.Methods:The chemical composition of essential oils was determined using gas chromatography coupled mass spectrometry.For evaluated the antioxidant activity of essential oils was use tree spectrophotometric methods:diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl(DPPH),2,2’-Azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid)(ABTS)andβ-Carotene bleaching test.The essential oils with good activity were determined the responsible molecules using the Bioautographic HP-TLC-DPPH method.Results:The scavenging capacity of the radicals was assessed with DPPH and ABTS methods,the best results were found in the oils of M.mollis IC_(50) DPPH 2.80 mg/ml and IC_(50) ABTS 0.205 mg/mL and in A.glutinosa IC_(50) DPPH 12.972 mg/mL and IC_(50) ABTS 0.321 mg/mL,the results were compared with a pattern of natural reference in this case,the essential oil of T.vulgaris IC_(50) DPPH 0.474 mg/mL and IC_(50) ABTS 0.272 mg/mL.The evaluation of the antioxidant activity was determined by theβ-carotene bleaching test,the most notable activity results were from M.mollis IC_(50)0.119 mg/mL,A.glutinosa IC_(50)0.062 mg/mL and B.latifolia IC_(50)0,064 mg/mL.DPPH bioautography revealed the active molecules antioxidants in oils for M.mollis were thymol acetate(7.73%)and carvacrol acetate(24.52%),for A.glutinosa wasγ-muurolene(2.68%),and for B.latifolia Z-caryophyllene(2.99%),aristolochene(0.11%)and cis-cadin-4-en-7-ol(4.11%).Conclusion:The results of antioxidant activity shown in descending order that the essential oils of:M.mollis,A.glutinosa and B.latifolia,are those with the highest activity using the DPPH and ABTS methods.Theβ-Carotene bleaching test method confirms the 3 oils as the most active in the following order:A.glutinosa,B.latifolia and M.mollis.An antioxidant bioautographic study identified the molecules responsible for the activity in three essential oils with good activity.