Antibacterial Fractions from Erodium cicutarium Exposed—Clinical Strains of Staphylococcus aureus in Focus

Followed by a buildup of its phytochemical profile, Erodium cicutarium is being subjected to antimicrobial investigation guided with its ethnobotanical use. The results of performed in vitro screening on Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Candida albicans strains, show that E. cicutarium has antimicrobial activity, with a particular emphasis on clinical S. aureus strains—both the methicillin sensitive (MSSA) and the methicillin resistant (MRSA) S. aureus. Experimental design consisted of general methods (the serial microdilution broth assay and the agar well diffusion assay), as well as observing bactericidal/bacteriostatic activity through time (the “time-kill” assay), investigating the effect on cell wall integrity and biofilm formation, and modulation of bacterial hemolysis. Observed antibacterial activity from above-described methods led to further activity-guided fractionation of water and methanol extracts using bioautography coupled with UHPLC-LTQ OrbiTrap MS4. It was determined that active fractions are predominantly formed by gallic acid derivatives and flavonol glycosides. Among the most active phytochemicals, galloyl-shikimic acid was identified as the most abundant compound. These results point to a direct connection between galloyl-shikimic acid and the observed E. cicutarium antibacterial activity, and open several new research approaches for future investigation.

The Essential Oil-Bearing Plants in the United Arab Emirates (UAE): An Overview

Essential Oils (EOs) are expensive hydrocarbons produced exclusively by specific species in the plant kingdom. Their applications have deep roots in traditional herbal medicine, which lacks scientific evidence. Nowadays, more than ever, there is a growing global interest in research-based discoveries that maintain and promote health conditions. Consequently, EOs became a much attractive topic for both research and industry, with revenues reaching billions of dollars annually. In this work, we provide key guidance to all essential oil-bearing plants growing in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The comprehensive data were collected following an extensive, up-to-date literature review. The results identified 137 plant species, including indigenous and naturalized ones, in the UAE, citing over 180 published research articles. The general overview included plant botanical names, synonyms, common names (Arabic and English), families and taxonomic authority. The study acts as a baseline and accelerator for research, industry and discoveries in multiple disciplines relying on essential oil-bearing plants.