Interactions of Ziziphora clinopodioides and Mentha spicata essential oils with chitosan and ciprofloxacin against common food-related pathogens

Effect of the molar mass of chitosan and film casting solvents on the properties of chitosan films loaded with Mentha spicata essential oil for potential application as wound dressing

Chitosan based films endowed with antibacterial features have witnessed remarkable progress as potential wound dressings. The current study aimed at appraising the effects of the molar mass of chitosan (MM) and the film casting acids on the properties of unplasticized chitosan films and plasticized MSO-embedded chitosan films in order to provide best suited film formulation as a potential candidate for wound dressing application. The prepared films were functionally characterized in terms of their qualitative assessment, thickness, density, swelling behavior, water vapor barrier, mechanical and antibacterial properties. Overall, all chitosan films displayed thickness lower than the human dermis even though thicker and denser films were produced with lactic acid. Assessment of the swelling behavior revealed that only high molar mass (HMM) chitosan films may be regarded as absorbent dressings. Moreover, unplasticized HMM lactate (HMM-LA) films furnished lower stiffness and higher percent strain break as compared to acetate films, due to the plasticizing effect of the remaining lactic acid as alluded by the FTIR analysis. Meanwhile, they provided suitable level of moisture and indicated substantial antibacterial activity against S. aureus and E. coli, the most commonly opportunistic bacteria found in infected skin wound. Plasticized chitosan films doped with MSO were significantly thicker and more permeable to water compared to unplasticized films. Furthermore, MSO significantly potentiate the antibacterial effect of chitosan-based films. Therefore, plasticized HMM-LA/MSO chitosan film flashing good swelling behavior, adequate WVTR and WVP, suitable mechanical properties and antibacterial performances substantiated to be a promising antibacterial dressing material for moderately exuding wounds.

Vacuum fractional distillation of Cunila galioides Benth. essential oil: chemical composition and biological activities of raw oil and its fractions

This work aimed to rectify Cunila galioides essential oil and evaluate the raw oil and the fractions' antifungal, allelopathic, and antioxidant activities. The results showed that the raw essential oil and the bottom fraction were primarily composed of linalyl propionate (42.9 wt.% and 60.2 wt.%). The top fraction was composed mainly of limonene (45.7 wt.%). The antioxidant activity changed with the radical and the fraction. The bottom had a weaker antifungal effect than the raw oil and the top. Nevertheless, the essential oil and the fractions had a similar antifungal activity at 0.50 % v/v and higher. Similar behavior was observed for the allelopathic tests. No difference occurred between the raw oil and the fractions, with reduced germination percentages and speed at 0.25 % v/v and complete inhibition at 0.50 % v/v. The oil can be rectified, and the fractions may be used without harming their biological activity.

Synergistic interaction of clove, cinnamon, and eucalyptus essential oils impregnated in cellulose acetate electrospun fibers as antibacterial agents against Staphylococcus aureus

The development of antibiotic-free antibacterial strategies applied in the control of bacterial and biofilm proliferation on surfaces is an important topic in discussion in the literature. Essential oils have been explored as isolated and combined components to act as an antibacterial material that inhibits bacterial proliferation, avoiding the contamination of surfaces. Herein, cellulose acetate electrospun fibers impregnated with essential oils of clove, cinnamon and eucalyptus and their combination (clove + cinnamon, cinnamon + eucalyptus and clove + eucalyptus) were explored against the standard strain of Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923). As isolated components, the best performance follows the order clove>cinnamon>eucalyptus essential oil. The association of clove and cinnamon into cellulose acetate electrospun fibers returned a promising and fast antibacterial and antibiofilm activity (improvement in 65%), as a piece of evidence that synergism is observed for the association of essential oils incorporated into electrospun fibers that preserves the antibacterial activity by encapsulation of components.

Sodium alginate edible coating containing Ferulago angulata (Schlecht.) Boiss essential oil, nisin, and NaCl: Its impact on microbial, chemical, and sensorial properties of refrigerated chicken breast

This study aimed to investigate the effects of sodium alginate (ALG) coating incorporated with Ferulago angulata (Schlecht.) Boiss essential oil (FAEO, 10 and 20 mg/mL), nisin (N, 500 and 1000 IU/mL), and NaCl (2 %) on microbial (lactic acid bacteria, LAB; total viable bacteria, TVC; psychrotrophic bacteria; Pseudomonas; Enterobacteriaceae, and yeast and mold), chemical (pH, PV, TVB-N, and TBARS), sensory (color, odor, texture, and overall acceptance), and antioxidant properties of refrigerated (4 °C) chicken breasts. GC-MS analysis revealed that trans-β-ocimene (45.36 %) and α-pinene (18.01 %) constituted most of the components in FAEO. The antioxidant properties of FAEO were evaluated via the DPPH method. The IC₅₀ value of FAEO was 562 mg/mL. The results of antimicrobial evaluations indicated that there was no significant difference between control and ALG treatments (p > 0.05). The highest antimicrobial effect was associated with ALG + FAEO2 + N2 + NaCl treatment. The logarithmic reduction of the TVC, psychrotrophic count, Pseudomonas count, Enterobacteriaceae, LAB, as well as yeast and mold count in the ALG + FAEO2 + N2 + NaCl treatment were 1.40, 0.92, 1.20, 1.02, 0.88, and 1 log CFU/g, respectively compared to the control treatment. The initial level of TVB-N in the control treatment was 8.26 mg/100 g, which reached 42.84 mg/100 g at the end of the storage period. In ALG+ FAEO2 + N2 + NaCl treatment, the lowest TVB-N was observed, being 36.37 mg/100 g at the end of the storage period. The initial level of PV in the control treatment was 0.14 meq/kg, which reached 3.04 meq/kg at the end of the storage period. In the treatments containing FAEO, PV was lower than in other treatments, indicating the antioxidant properties of FAEO. There was a significant difference between control and other treatments in pH and TBARS evaluation (p < 0.05). The samples treated with FAEO had a lower pH than control. At the end of the storage period, the TBARS level in the control treatment reached 1.20 mg MDA/kg, while in the treatment of ALG+ FAEO2 + N2 + NaCl treatment, its level was 0.36 mg MDA/kg. The results of sensory properties indicated that in evaluating the color, odor, texture, and overall acceptance on the final days, treatments containing FAEO, nisin, and NaCl had higher scores due to their antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. In conclusion, this study indicated that adding FAEO, nisin, and NaCl to ALG coating would enhance the shelf-life of chicken meat.

Chitosan Film Functionalized with Grape Seed Oil—Preliminary Evaluation of Antimicrobial Activity

Although the fishing and wine industries undoubtedly contribute significantly to the economy, they also generate large waste streams with considerable repercussions on both economic and environmental levels. Scientific literature has shown products can be extracted from these streams which have properties of interest to the cosmetics, pharmaceutical and food industries. Antimicrobial activity is undoubtedly among the most interesting of these properties, and particularly useful in the production of food packaging to increase the shelf life of food products. In this study, film for food packaging was produced for the first time using chitosan extracted from the exoskeletons of red shrimp (Aristomorpha foliacea) and oil obtained from red grape seeds (Vitis vinifera). The antimicrobial activity of two films was analyzed: chitosan-only film and chitosan film with the addition of red grape seed oil at two different concentrations (0.5 mL and 1 mL). Our results showed noteworthy antimicrobial activity resulting from functionalized chitosan films; no activity was observed against pathogen and spoilage Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, although the antimicrobial effects observed were species-dependent. The preliminary results of this study could contribute to developing the circular economy, helping to promote the reuse of waste to produce innovative films for food packaging.

In vitro biological potential of the essential oil of some aromatic species used in Iranian traditional medicine

The goal of this study is to evaluate the chemical compounds, the anti-bacterial/fungal activity, and the cytotoxicity of the essential oil of three species of lamiaceae in Iran. After the extraction of the essential oil implementing the hydrodistillation method, the analysis and identification of the compounds were carried out with a chromatograph coupled with a mass spectrometer. For the evaluation of the anti-bacterial/fungal activity of the essential oils, the measurement of the diameter of inhibition halo, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), bactericidal and fungicidal concentrations (MBC/MFC) were utilized; and for the evaluation of the cytotoxic activity of the essential oils, the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) method was used. The results show that the dominant compounds in the Perovskia abrotanoides Kar essential oil were camphor (21.68%), 1,8-cineole (14.26%), and α-pinene (7.23%); moreover, the dominant compounds in the Salvia reuteriana Boiss. Essential oil were benzyl benzoate (27.10%), linalool (13.27%), and sclareol (7.75%); in addition, the dominant compounds in the Ziziphora clinopodioides subsp. rigida (Boiss.) Rech.f. were cyclofenchene (25.29%), pulegone (14.14%), and menthol (7.70%). The largest halo diameter of inhibition halo (~ 22 mm) was against Streptococcus pyogenes and the strongest inhibiting and killing activity was against Candida albicans (MIC and MFC = 125 μg/mL) shown by the S. reuteriana essential oil which, respectively, matched the control antibiotics rifampin and nystatin. The analysis of the MTT test results showed that the Z. clinopodioides subsp. rigida essential oil (with IC50 value of ~ 144.2500) had the strongest cytotoxic activity against human ovarian cancer cells (OVCAR-3). On the whole, the results show that the essential oil of the Lamiaceae family plants is a source for various compounds with potential biological activities which can serve as a possible alternative to produce herbal medicine which are effective on some microorganisms and cancer cell lines.

Bioactive properties of the aromatic molecules of spearmint (Mentha spicata L.) essential oil: a review

Spearmint belongs to the genus Mentha in the family Labiateae (Lamiaceae), which is wildly cultivated worldwide for its remarkable aroma and commercial value. The aromatic molecules of spearmint essential oil,...

In Vitro ACE2 and 5-LOX Enzyme Inhibition by Menthol and Three Different Mint Essential Oils

Mentha arvensis L., M. citrata L., and M. spicata L. (family Lamiaceae) essential oils, and their characteristic constituent, menthol, were evaluated in vitro for angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) enzyme inhibitory activity. The chemical compositions of M. arvensis, M. citrata, and M. spicata essential oils were analysed both by GC-FID, and GC/MS; 82.0%, 38.1%, and 0.4% menthol were identified, respectively. M. spicata essential oil contained 88.2% carvone as its major component.

The enzyme inhibitory activities of the essential oils were evaluated using a fluorometric multiplate based enzyme inhibition kit; the ACE2 inhibitions produced by M. arvensis, M. citrata, and M. spicata essential oils were 33%, 22%, and 73%, while the 5-LOX inhibitions were 84%, 79%, and 70%, respectively. In addition, menthol also showed remarkable ACE2 inhibition of 99.8%, whereas the 5-LOX inhibition was 79.9%. As a result, menthol and the three different mint essential oils may have antiviral potential applications against coronaviruses due to their ACE2 enzyme inhibition and anti-inflammatory features. However, further in vivo studies are needed to confirm the safety and efficacy.

The traditional uses, phytochemistry and pharmacology of spearmint (Mentha spicata L.): A review

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY RELEVANCE

Mentha spicata L. (Lamiaceae), commonly called Spearmint, is wildly cultivated worldwide for its remarkable aroma and commercial value. In addition to traditional foods flavouring agent, M. spicata is well known for its traditional medicinal uses, particularly for the treatment of cold, cough, asthma, fever, obesity, jaundice and digestive problems.

AIM OF THE REVIEW

This review aims to critically appraise scientific literature regarding the traditional uses, bioactive chemical constituents and pharmacological activities of M. spicata.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A review of the literature information on M. spicata was searched from scientific electronic search databases (Google Scholar, PubMed, Web of Science, ACS, Science Direct, Taylor and Francis, Wiley, Springer and SCOPUS. Structures for secondary metabolites were confirmed using PubChem and ChemSpider.

RESULTS

The studies conducted on either crude extracts, essential oil or isolated pure compounds from M. spicata had reported a varied range of biological effects including antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant, hepatoprotective, antidiabetic, cytotoxic, anti-inflammatory, larvicidal activity, antigenotoxic potential and antiandrogenic activities. Phytochemical analysis of various parts of M. spicata revealed 35 chemical constituents, belonging to phenolic acids, flavonoids and lignans.

CONCLUSION

The review finding indicates that the pharmacological properties of M. spicata supported its traditional uses. The essential oils and extracts showed remarkable antimicrobial, antioxidant, anticancer, anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective activities. However, more studies, especially in vivo experiments and clinical trials of the human to evaluate cellular and molecular mechanisms based pharmacological, bioactive effectiveness and safety investigation, should be undertaken in the future to provide stronger scientific proof for their traditional medicinal properties.

Effect of gamma irradiation on physico-mechanical and structural properties of active Farsi gum-CMC films containing Ziziphora clinopodioides essential oil and lignocellulose nanofibers for meat packaging

The objective of this study was to examine the effect of gamma irradiation (0, 2.5, and 5 kGy) on physico-mechanical and structural characteristics of films based on Farsi gum-carboxymethyl cellulose supplemented with Ziziphora clinopodioides essential oil (ZEO; 0%, 1%, and 2%) and lignocellulose nanofibers (LCNF; 0%, 1%, and 2%), and their application on fresh minced beef meat's shelf-life during refrigerated temperature (4 ± 1 °C) for 16 days. Gamma irradiation under the ⁶⁰ Co source at 2.5 and 5 kGy doses did not have a significant effect on thickness, tensile strength, swelling index, oxygen permeability, and water vapor transmission rate of prepared films (P > 0.05). The best microbiological (total viable count, psychrotrophic bacterial count, Pseudomonas spp., Brochothrix thermosphacta, lactic acid bacteria, and Enterobacteriaceae) and chemical (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, total volatile base nitrogen content, and peroxide value) properties were recorded for samples packaged with ZEO 2% + LCNF 2%, followed by ZEO 2% + LCNF 1%, ZEO 1% + LCNF 2%, and ZEO 1% + LCNF 1%. These results indicate acceptable extensions of hurdle technology for prolonged refrigeration of minced beef meat. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: The application of active packaging films has received considerable interest in extending the shelf-life of perishable foods during prolonged chilled storage. The effects of active Farsi gum-carboxymethyl cellulose films supplemented with Ziziphora clinopodioides essential oil 2% + lignocellulose nanofibers 2% resulted in delaying lipid oxidation and microbial spoilage growth of refrigerated minced beef meat and consequently extending the shelf-life during storage for at least 16 days.

Influence of anise (Pimpinella anisum L.) essential oil on the microbial, chemical, and sensory properties of chicken fillets wrapped with gelatin film

The present study aimed to develop a novel active edible film based on gelatin incorporated with 0, 0.3, 0.6, and 0.9% w/w anise essential oil as a natural preservative and investigate the shelf life extension potential of chicken fillets during 12 days of refrigerated storage. The chicken fillets were wrapped with the essence-free and anise essential oil-loaded gelatin films, and microbial counts, chemical and sensory tests were surveyed during chilled storage. Results showed that aerobic mesophilic bacteria and Pseudomonas spp counts significantly decreased at all levels of anise essential oil during the first week of storage, while psychrotrophs, yeasts, and molds numbers began to reduce at concentrations of 0.6 and 0.9% from day 6. The using of anise essential oil caused a significant decrease of chemical parameters of chicken fillets, and the values of pH, peroxide, thiobarbituric acid reactive substance, and total volatile basic-nitrogen reached from 7.42, 5.7 meq/kg, 2.21 mg malondialdehyde/kg, and 24.94 mg N/100 g for the essence-free wrapped samples to 4.8, 6.35 meq/kg, 1.73 mg malondialdehyde/kg, and 18.78 mg N/100 g for the ones wrapped with 0.9% anise essential oil-loaded gelatin films at the end of storage day. In conclusion, application of gelatin films loaded with 0.6 and 0.9% anise essential oil can be advised for wrapping chicken fillets to prolong the shelf life for at least one week.

Effects of sodium alginate coating containing Mentha spicata essential oil and cellulose nanoparticles on extending the shelf life of raw silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) fillets

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of sodium alginate (SA) coatings containing Mentha spicata essential oil (MSO; 0.5 and 1%) and cellulose nanoparticles (CN; 0.25 and 0.5%) on chemical (total volatile base nitrogen content and peroxide value), microbial (total viable count, psychrotrophic count, Pseudomonas spp., and Enterobacteriaceae), and sensory (odor, color, and overall acceptability) properties of raw silver carp fillets during 14 days of refrigerated storage. The MSO was mostly comprised of carvone (78.76%) and limonene (11.50%). SA + MSO 1% + CN 0.5% was most effective in extending the shelf life of silver carp fillets, followed by SA + MSO 1% + CN 0.25%, SA + MSO 1%, SA + MSO 0.5% + CN 0.5%, SA + MSO 0.5% + CN 0.25%, SA + MSO 0.5%, SA + CN 0.5%, SA +CN  0.25%, and SA. Incorporation of MSO 0.5% didn't have any adverse effect on odor, color, and overall acceptability of treated samples.

Chemical compositions, antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of Ziziphora clinopodioides Lam. essential oils collected from different parts of Iran

The aims of the present study were to investigate chemical compositions, antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of Ziziphora clinopodioides essential oils (ZEOs) collected from four provinces in western Iran (Ilam, Lorestan, Kermanshah and Kurdestan). Carvacrol was the most abundant constituent in the flower, stem and leaf oil samples of Ilam, Lorestan and Kermanshah regions by 73.12-74.29%, 66.47-66.89% and 65.11-65.32%, respectively. The most abundant components in Kurdestan sample were thymol (55.32-55.60%), followed by γ-terpinene (24.45-24.56%), p-cymene (10.21-10.25%) and α-terpinene (2.75-2.77%). The ZEO inhibited the growth of Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella typhimurium, Escherichia coli O157:H7, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus at MIC values between 0.03 and 0.04%. Kermanshah oil sample had a higher 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging (0.30-0.31 mg/ml), ability to prevent the bleaching of β-carotene (0.09-0.1 mg/ml), ferric reducing power (0.40-0.42 mg/ml) and thiobarbituric acid (0.004-0.006 Meq of malondialdehyde/g) values than that of ZEOs from Ilam, Kurdestan and Lorestan. The strong in vitro antimicrobial and antioxidant activities supports the traditional use of ZEO in the treatments of gastrointestinal diseases.

Antibacterial electrospun chitosan-based nanofibers: A bacterial membrane perforator

This study investigates the antibacterial action of chitosan-based nanofibers (CNFs) obtained by the electrospinning process on the permeability of bacterial membranes. The bactericidal efficiency of CNFs was first determined against Gram-negative Escherichia coli and Salmonella Typhimurium, and Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria innocua bacteria as a baseline. The results strongly suggest that CNFs interact with the negatively charged bacterial cell wall causing membrane rupture and inducing leakage of intracellular components among which are proteins and DNA. Results clearly indicate that the release of such components after contact with CNFs is an indication of membrane permeabilization and perforation, as pore formation was observed in transmission electron microscopy (TEM). This work suggests a plausible antibacterial mechanism of action of CNFs and also provides clear evidence in favor of chitosan as a bacterial membrane disruptor and perforator. As a result, CNFs can find promising applications as bioactive food packaging materials capable to extend shelf life of food products while inhibiting the spread of alteration flora and foodborne pathogens.