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Plant Volatiles: A Goldmine Not Fully Explored
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Plant Volatiles: A Goldmine Not Fully Explored

A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Phytochemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 May 2021) | Viewed by 22812

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Cecilia Cagliero

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Guest Editor
Department of Drug Science and Technology, University of Turin, 10125 Torino, Italy
Interests: natural compounds; phytochemical analysis; sample preparation; gas chromatography; HPLC; ionic liquids; deep eutectic solvents; chiral analysis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Patrizia Rubiolo

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Guest Editor
Department of Drug Science and Technology, University of Turin, 10125 Turin, Italy
Interests: plant volatiles and essential oils; botanicals; analysis of plant secondary metabolites through GC–MS and LC–MS
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Barbara Sgorbini

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Drug Science and Technology, University of Turin, 10125 Turin, Italy
Interests: essential oils and bioactive plant volatiles; solvent-free sample preparation techniques; GC–MS analysis of bioactive plant secondary metabolites; botanicals
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Plant volatiles are low-molecular weight lipophilic compounds derived from different biosynthetic pathways, emitted by the plants mainly to defend themselves against herbivores and pathogens, to attract pollinators and seed dispersers, and as signals involved in plant–plant communication.

In addition to their role for the plant, plant volatiles, mainly in the form of essential oils, are traditionally used for the production of flavors and fragrances because of their fragrant properties, as well as sustainable agents for pest control. At the same time, there is also growing evidence that plant volatiles are characterized by a wide range of biological activities in humans, representing therefore a sustainable and underexploited source of bioactive compounds.

To date, more than 1700 volatile compounds have been isolated from more than 90 plant families, but the characterization of the volatile fraction of the plants is still not fully explored, as well as the potential biological activity of these compounds.

For this Special Issue, review and research articles are invited from scientists working on diverse aspects of the characterization of plant volatiles, starting from the investigation of the phytochemical volatile profile of not yet investigated plants, to the biosynthesis of these compounds as well as their ecological role and possible applications and, last but not least, their biological activity.

Dr. Cecilia Cagliero
Prof. Dr. Patrizia Rubiolo
Prof. Dr. Barbara Sgorbini
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • plant volatiles
  • essential oils
  • phytochemical analysis
  • biological activity
  • terpenoids

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 834 KiB  
Article
Not Only a Weed Plant—Biological Activities of Essential Oil and Hydrosol of Dittrichia viscosa (L.) Greuter
by Elma Vuko, Valerija Dunkić, Ana Maravić, Mirko Ruščić, Marija Nazlić, Mila Radan, Ivica Ljubenkov, Barbara Soldo and Željana Fredotović
Plants 2021, 10(9), 1837; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10091837 - 4 Sep 2021
Cited by 20 | Viewed by 3810
Abstract
With the increasing interest in obtaining biologically active compounds from natural sources, Dittrichia viscosa (L.) Greuter (Asteraceae) came into our focus as a readily available and aromatic wild shrub widely distributed in the Mediterranean region. This work provides a phytochemical profile of D. [...] Read more.
With the increasing interest in obtaining biologically active compounds from natural sources, Dittrichia viscosa (L.) Greuter (Asteraceae) came into our focus as a readily available and aromatic wild shrub widely distributed in the Mediterranean region. This work provides a phytochemical profile of D. viscosa in terms of parallel chemical composition in the lipophilic fraction (essential oil) and the water fraction (hydrosol). GC-MS analysis identified 1,8-cineole, caryophyllene oxide, α-terpenyl acetate, and α-muurolol as the major components of the essential oil, while in the hydrosol p-menth-1-en-9-ol, 1,8-cineole, linalool, cis-sabinene hydrate, and α-muurolol were the major volatile components. 3,4-Dihydroxybenzoic acid was found to be the predominant compound in the hydrosol composition by HPLC analysis. The antimicrobial potential of both extracts was evaluated against thirteen opportunistic pathogens associated with common skin and wound infections and emerging food spoilage microorganisms. The antimicrobial activity of the essential oil suggests that the volatiles of D. viscosa could be used as novel antimicrobial agents. The antiproliferative results of D. viscosa volatiles are also new findings, which showed promising activity against three cancer cell lines: HeLa (cervical cancer cell line), HCT116 (human colon cancer cell line), and U2OS (human osteosarcoma cell line). The decrease in GSH level observed in hydrosol-treated HeLa cells suggests oxidative stress as a possible mechanism of the antiproliferative effect of hydrosol on tumor cells. The presented results are also the first report of significant antiphytoviral activity of hydrosol against tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) infection. Based on the results, D. viscosa might have the potential to be used in crop protection, as a natural disinfectant and natural anticancer agent. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Volatiles: A Goldmine Not Fully Explored)
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14 pages, 1364 KiB  
Article
Chemical Composition of Essential Oil from Flowers of Five Fragrant Dendrobium (Orchidaceae)
by Francesco Saverio Robustelli della Cuna, Jacopo Calevo, Miriam Bazzicalupo, Cristina Sottani, Elena Grignani and Stefania Preda
Plants 2021, 10(8), 1718; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10081718 - 20 Aug 2021
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 3709
Abstract
A detailed chemical composition of Dendrobium essential oil has been only reported for a few main species. This article is the first to evaluate the essential oil composition, obtained by steam distillation, of five Indian Dendrobium species: Dendrobium chrysotoxum Lindl., Dendrobium harveyanum Rchb.f., [...] Read more.
A detailed chemical composition of Dendrobium essential oil has been only reported for a few main species. This article is the first to evaluate the essential oil composition, obtained by steam distillation, of five Indian Dendrobium species: Dendrobium chrysotoxum Lindl., Dendrobium harveyanum Rchb.f., and Dendrobium wardianum R.Warner (section Dendrobium), Dendrobium amabile (Lour.) O’Brien, and Dendrobium chrysanthum Wall. ex Lindl. (section Densiflora). We investigate fresh flower essential oil obtained by steam distillation, by GC/FID and GC/MS. Several compounds are identified, with a peculiar distribution in the species: Saturated hydrocarbons (range 2.19–80.20%), organic acids (range 0.45–46.80%), esters (range 1.03–49.33%), and alcohols (range 0.12–22.81%). Organic acids are detected in higher concentrations in D. chrysantum, D. wardianum, and D. harveyanum (46.80%, 26.89%, and 7.84%, respectively). This class is represented by palmitic acid (13.52%, 5.76, and 7.52%) linoleic acid (D. wardianum 17.54%), and (Z)-11-hexadecenoic acid (D. chrysantum 29.22%). Esters are detected especially in species from section Dendrobium, with ethyl linolenate, methyl linoleate, ethyl oleate, and ethyl palmitate as the most abundant compounds. Alcohols are present in higher concentrations in D. chrysantum (2.4-di-tert-butylphenol, 22.81%), D. chrysotoxum (1-octanol, and 2-phenylethanol, 2.80% and 2.36%), and D. wardianum (2-phenylethanol, 4.65%). Coumarin (95.59%) is the dominant compound in D. amabile (section Densiflora) and detected in lower concentrations (range 0.19–0.54%) in other samples. These volatile compounds may represent a particular feature of these plant species, playing a critical role in interacting with pollinators. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Volatiles: A Goldmine Not Fully Explored)
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10 pages, 478 KiB  
Article
Selective BuChE Inhibitory Activity, Chemical Composition, and Enantiomeric Content of the Essential Oil from Salvia leucantha Cav. Collected in Ecuador
by Gabriela Villalta, Melissa Salinas, James Calva, Nicole Bec, Christian Larroque, Giovanni Vidari and Chabaco Armijos
Plants 2021, 10(6), 1169; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10061169 - 9 Jun 2021
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3599
Abstract
The essential oil (EO) of Salvia leucantha Cav. was isolated by steam distillation of the aerial parts collected in the South of Ecuador. Its physical properties were evaluated and the chemical composition of the oil was determined by GC-MS and GC-FID analyses using [...] Read more.
The essential oil (EO) of Salvia leucantha Cav. was isolated by steam distillation of the aerial parts collected in the South of Ecuador. Its physical properties were evaluated and the chemical composition of the oil was determined by GC-MS and GC-FID analyses using two chromatographic columns, DB-5ms and HP-INNOWax. Six major compounds were identified, namely, the sesquiterpenes 6.9-guaiadiene (19.14%), (E)-caryophyllene (16.80%), germacrene D (10.22%), (E)-β-farnesene (10.00%), and bicyclogermacrene (7.52%), and the monoterpenoid bornyl acetate (14.74%). Furthermore, four pairs of enantiomers were determined by enantioselective GC-MS of the essential oil. (−)-germacrene D and (+)-α-pinene showed the highest enantiomeric excess (ee%). In an in vitro assay, the essential oil demonstrated an interesting inhibitory activity of the enzyme butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE), with an IC50 = 32.60 µg/mL, which is the highest determined for a Salvia species. In contrast, the oil was weakly active against acetylcholinesterase (AChE) with an IC50 > 250 µg/mL. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Volatiles: A Goldmine Not Fully Explored)
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9 pages, 532 KiB  
Article
Enhancement of In Vitro Production of Volatile Organic Compounds by Shoot Differentiation in Artemisia spicigera
by Saeedeh Ghorbani, Morteza Kosari-Nasab, Sepideh Mahjouri, Amir Hossein Talebpour, Ali Movafeghi and Filippo Maggi
Plants 2021, 10(2), 208; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10020208 - 22 Jan 2021
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2495
Abstract
Callus initiation, shoot formation and plant regeneration were established for Artemisia spicigera, a traditional medicinal plant growing in Armenia, Middle-Anatolia and Iran, and producing valuable volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are mostly represented by monoterpenoids. Optimal callus initiation and shoot production were [...] Read more.
Callus initiation, shoot formation and plant regeneration were established for Artemisia spicigera, a traditional medicinal plant growing in Armenia, Middle-Anatolia and Iran, and producing valuable volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are mostly represented by monoterpenoids. Optimal callus initiation and shoot production were obtained by culture of hypocotyl and cotyledon explants on MS medium comprising 0.5 mg L−1 naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) and 0.5 mg L−1 6-benzyladenine (BA). Consequently, the shoots were transferred onto the MS media supplemented with 1 mg L−1 of indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) or 1 mg L−1 of NAA. Both types of auxin induced root formation on the shoots and the resulting plantlets were successfully grown in pots. The production of VOCs in callus tissues and regenerated plantlets was studied by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. Although the potential of undifferentiated callus to produce VOCs was very low, an increased content of bioactive volatile components was observed at the beginning of shoot primordia differentiation. Intriguingly, the volatiles obtained from in vitro plantlets showed quantitative and qualitative variation depending on the type of auxins used for the rooting process. The acquired quantities based on total ion current (TIC) showed that the regenerated plantlets using 1 mg L−1 NAA produced higher amounts of oxygenated monoterpenes such as camphor (30.29%), cis-thujone (7.07%), and 1,8-cineole (6.71%) and sesquiterpene derivatives, namely germacrene D (8.75%), bicyclogermacrene (4.0%) and spathulenol (1.49%) compared with the intact plant. According to these findings, in vitro generation of volatile organic compounds in A. spicigera depends on the developmental stages of tissues and may enhance with the formation of shoot primordia and regeneration of plantlets. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Volatiles: A Goldmine Not Fully Explored)
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17 pages, 747 KiB  
Article
Bio-Guided Fractionation Driven by In Vitro α-Amylase Inhibition Assays of Essential Oils Bearing Specialized Metabolites with Potential Hypoglycemic Activity
by Francesca Capetti, Cecilia Cagliero, Arianna Marengo, Carlo Bicchi, Patrizia Rubiolo and Barbara Sgorbini
Plants 2020, 9(9), 1242; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants9091242 - 21 Sep 2020
Cited by 26 | Viewed by 3886
Abstract
Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a metabolic disorder characterized by unpaired blood glycaemia maintenance. T2DM can be treated by inhibiting carbohydrate hydrolyzing enzymes (α-amylases and α-glucosidases) to decrease postprandial hyperglycemia. Acarbose and voglibose are inhibitors used in clinical practice. However, these drugs [...] Read more.
Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a metabolic disorder characterized by unpaired blood glycaemia maintenance. T2DM can be treated by inhibiting carbohydrate hydrolyzing enzymes (α-amylases and α-glucosidases) to decrease postprandial hyperglycemia. Acarbose and voglibose are inhibitors used in clinical practice. However, these drugs are associated with unpleasant gastrointestinal side effects. This study explores new α-amylase inhibitors deriving from plant volatile specialized metabolites. Sixty-two essential oils (EOs) from different plant species and botanical families were subjected to α-amylase in vitro enzymatic assay and chemically characterized using gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. Several EOs were found to be potential α-amylase inhibitors, and Eucalyptus radiata, Laurus nobilis, and Myristicafragrans EOs displayed inhibitory capacities comparable to that of the positive control (i.e., acarbose). A bio-guided fractionation approach was adopted to isolate and identify the active fractions/compounds of Eucalyptus radiata and Myristica fragrans EOs. The bio-guided fractionation revealed that EOs α-amylase inhibitory activity is often the result of antagonist, additive, or synergistic interactions among their bioactive constituents and led to the identification of 1,8-cineole, 4-terpineol, α-terpineol, α-pinene, and β-pinene as bioactive compounds, also confirmed when they were tested singularly. These results demonstrate that EO oils are a promising source of potential α-amylase inhibitors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Volatiles: A Goldmine Not Fully Explored)
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23 pages, 5043 KiB  
Article
Variations of Essential Oil Constituents in Oregano (Origanum vulgare subsp. viridulum (= O. heracleoticum) over Cultivation Cycles
by Edoardo Napoli, Antonio Giovino, Alessandra Carrubba, Vandana How Yuen Siong, Carmelo Rinoldo, Onofrio Nina and Giuseppe Ruberto
Plants 2020, 9(9), 1174; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants9091174 - 10 Sep 2020
Cited by 27 | Viewed by 4254
Abstract
Oregano is—probably—the most appreciated and widespread aromatic plant in Sicily. With the aim of evaluating the modifications of oregano’s essential oil composition over time, between 2013 and 2015 six weekly samplings of three different oregano plantations were carried out, from the beginning of [...] Read more.
Oregano is—probably—the most appreciated and widespread aromatic plant in Sicily. With the aim of evaluating the modifications of oregano’s essential oil composition over time, between 2013 and 2015 six weekly samplings of three different oregano plantations were carried out, from the beginning of flowering (early May) until the traditional harvest moment (end of June). Samples were hydrodistilled and the obtained essential oils (EOs) were evaluated by means of a combination of GC–FID and GC–MS. The Origanum plants under study were demonstrated to belong to the high-yielding, thymol-type biotypes, with thymol, γ-terpinene and p-cymene as three main components, among the total of about 50 of the evaluated EOs. In each location, EO yields were found to increase throughout survey dates. Significant variations were found in many EO components, both across years and throughout harvest dates within locations. The choice of the harvest moment was confirmed to be crucial in assessing quality aspects of oregano. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Volatiles: A Goldmine Not Fully Explored)
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