Efficacy of plant extracts against stored products fungi.

Magro A, Carolino M, Bastos M, Mexia A.

Instituto de Investigacao Cientifica Tropical (IICT), Trav. Conde da Ribeira 9,
1300/​142 Lisboa, Portugal. ana.magro@netcabo.pt

The fungistatic activity of six aqueous extracts of plants were tested against
Aspergillus candidus, Aspergillus niger, Penicillium sp. and Fusarium culmorum.
The plants were, chamomile (Anthemis nobilis L.), cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum J.
Presl.), French lavender (Lavandula stoechas L.), garlic (Allium sativum L.),
malva (Malva sylvestris L.) and peppermint (Mentha piperita L.). The more
concentrated extracts of chamomile and malva inhibited totally the growth of the
tested fungi with malva the most effective one.

PMID: 17196025 [PubMed /​ in process]

2: Am J Chin Med. 2006;34(3):511/​22.

Antimicrobial activities of cinnamon oil and cinnamaldehyde from the Chinese
medicinal herb Cinnamomum cassia Blume.

Ooi LS, Li Y, Kam SL, Wang H, Wong EY, Ooi VE.

Department of Biology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong
Kong, People's Republic of China.

Both Cinnamomum verum J.S. Presl. and Cinnamomum cassia Blume are collectively
called Cortex Cinnamonmi for their medicinal cinnamon bark. Cinnamomum verum is
more popular elsewhere in the world, whereas C. cassia is a well known
traditional Chinese medicine. An analysis of hydro/​distilled Chinese cinnamon
oil and pure cinnamaldehyde by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry revealed
that cinnamaldehyde is the major component comprising 85% in the essential oil
and the purity of cinnamaldehyde in use is high (> 98%). Both oil and pure
cinnamaldehyde of C. cassia were equally effective in inhibiting the growth of
various isolates of bacteria including Gram/​positive (1 isolate, Staphylococcus
aureus), and Gram/​negative (7 isolates, E. coli, Enterobacter aerogenes, Proteus
vulgaris, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Vibrio cholerae, Vibrio parahaemolyticus and
Samonella typhymurium), and fungi including yeasts (four species of Candida, C.
albicans, C. tropicalis, C. glabrata, and C. krusei), filamentous molds (4
isolates, three Aspergillus spp. and one Fusarium sp.) and dermatophytes (three
isolates, Microsporum gypseum, Trichophyton rubrum and T. mentagraphytes). Their
minimum inhibition concentrations (MIC) as determined by agar dilution method
varied only slightly. The MICs of both oil and cinnamaldehyde for bacteria
ranged from 75 microg/ml to 600 microg/ml, for yeasts from 100 microg/ml to 450
microg/ml, for filamentous fungi from 75 microg/ml to 150 microg/ml, and for
dermatophytes from 18.8 microg/ml to 37.5 microg/ml. The antimicrobial
effectiveness of C. cassia oil and its major constituent is comparable and
almost equivalent, which suggests that the broad/​spectrum antibiotic activities
of C. cassia oil are due to cinnamaldehyde. The relationship between structure
and function of the main components of cinnamon oil is also discussed.

Publication Types:
Research Support, Non/​U.S. Gov't

PMID: 16710900 [PubMed /​ indexed for MEDLINE]

3: Phytother Res. 2005 Jul;19(7):633/​42.

The use of health foods, spices and other botanicals in the Sikh community in
London.

Sandhu DS, Heinrich M.

Centre for Pharmacognosy and Phytotherapy, The School of Pharmacy, University of
London, 29/​39 Brunswick Square, London WC1N 1AX, UK.

Attitudes and practice concerning complementary and alternative medicine (CAM)
are currently an area of considerable interest. However, little is known about
the overall importance of such practices, for example, in immigrant communities
such as the Sikh (Punjabi) British. The use of CAM in immigrants belonging to
the Sikh religion in London was studied. The primary objective was to analyse
the extent to which traditional medicine is used and understood by this
population. Traditional Sikh medicine is important to this group of informants
and a total of 42 species were recorded and identified tentatively. The most
frequently mentioned species were Allium cepa (onion /​/​ gunda), Allium sativum
(garlic /​/​ lasan, thon), Capsicum frutescens (cayenne pepper /​/​ lalmirch),
Cinnamomum verum (cinnamom/​/​dhal chini), Citrus limon (lemon /​/​ nimbu),
Foeniculum vulgare (fennel /​/​ saunf), Elettaria cardamomum (cardamom /​/​ elaichi)
and Zingiber officinale (ginger /​/​ adrak). The study also highlights the rapid
change this tradition is undergoing in a diaspora situation.In depth studies on
the use of CAM among other immigrant communities and among ethnic groups are
urgent and may help to manage better the treatment of minor ailments as well as
chronic diseases. Specifically, more research on traditional and herbal remedies
amongst the numerous ethnic groups in urban Britain and how this impacts on the
use of biomedicine (e.g. as it is provided by the NHS) is essential.

PMID: 16161027 [PubMed /​ indexed for MEDLINE]

4: Food Chem Toxicol. 2006 Feb;44(2):198/​206. Epub 2005 Aug 8.

In vitro antioxidant activity and scavenging effects of Cinnamomum verum leaf
extract assayed by different methodologies.

Mathew S, Abraham TE.

Bioactive Polymer Engineering Section, Chemical Science Division, Regional
Research Laboratory, Pappanamcode, Trivandrum 695 019, Kerala, India.
sindhumathew@rediffmail.com

The free radical scavenging capacity and antioxidant activities of the
methanolic extract of Cinnamomum verum leaf (CLE) were studied and compared to
antioxidant compounds like trolox, butylated hydroxyl anisole, gallic acid and
ascorbic acid. The CLE exhibited free radical scavenging activity, especially
against DPPH radical and ABTS radical cation. They also exhibited reducing power
and metal ion chelating activity, along with hydroxyl radical scavenging
activity. The peroxidation inhibiting activity of CLE recorded using the
linoleic acid emulsion system, showed very good antioxidant activity.

Publication Types:
Research Support, Non/​U.S. Gov't

PMID: 16087283 [PubMed /​ indexed for MEDLINE]

5: Fitoterapia. 2005 Jul;76(5):453/​7.

Antibacterial effects of commercial essential oils over locally prevalent
pathogenic strains in Mexico.

Hersch/​Martinez P, Leanos/​Miranda BE, Solorzano/​Santos F.

Proyecto Actores Sociales de la Flora Medicinal en Mexico, Instituto Nacional de
Antropologia e Historia, Matamoros 14, Acapantzingo, Cuernavaca, Morelos 62440,
Mexico. leon@dunsun.cti.uaem.mx

Locally prevalent pathogenic bacteria 189 Gram (/​) and 135 Gram (+) strains, all
isolated from pediatric patients severely infected, were tested in vitro against
11 essential oils from commercial origin. All the strains showed resistance to
selected antibiotics. Cinnamomum verum, Origanum vulgare and Thymus vulgaris
exhibited the highest and broadest antibacterial activity. Emphasis is made in
the potential implications of these resources, uncommon at the clinical setting
of the study, employed against non/​commercial, locally pathogenic strains, being
a step to submit in the ensuing period essential oils from plants used in
Mexican traditional medicine.

PMID: 15893887 [PubMed /​ indexed for MEDLINE]

6: Mycopathologia. 2005 Apr;159(3):339/​45.

The inhibition of Candida albicans by selected essential oils and their major
components.

Tampieri MP, Galuppi R, Macchioni F, Carelle MS, Falcioni L, Cioni PL, Morelli
I.

Dipartimento di Sanita Pubblica Veterinaria e Patologia Animale, Universita di
Bologna, Italy. Tampieri@vet.unibo.it

Many volatile oils are known to possess antifungal properties and are
potentially applicable as antimycotic agents. By studying the efficacy of
essential oils against different pathogenic mycetes, we have evaluated the
in/​vitro inhibiting activity of some essential oils and their main constituents
against a strain of Candida albicans. Sixteen commercial essential oils and
forty/​two pure constituents (alcohols, aldehydes, ketons, phenols and
hydrocarbons), were tested by using a semisolid agar antifungal susceptibility
(SAAS) method. Gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy analyses of the oils tested
were performed. The essential oils of Origanum vulgare, Satureja montana, Mentha
piperita, Cinnamomum verum, Cymbopogon flexuosus showed maximum inhibitory
activity (MIC = 500 ppm) after 7 days. According to the results of the
examination of pure constituents, beta/​phellandrene proved to be the most
interesting component among cyclic monoterpenic hydrocarbons as it showed a
strong activity (MIC = 50 ppm). The most active of phenols was carvacrol (MIC
100 ppm). The open/​chain alcohol 1/​decanol was the most active of alcohols at 50
ppm. Finally, among aldehydes, a strong activity was shown by
trans/​cynnamaldehyde (MIC 50 ppm).

Publication Types:
Comparative Study
Research Support, Non/​U.S. Gov't

PMID: 15883716 [PubMed /​ indexed for MEDLINE]

7: Indian J Exp Biol. 1999 Mar;37(3):238/​42.

Anti/​oxidant effects of cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum) bark and greater cardamom
(Amomum subulatum) seeds in rats fed high fat diet.

Dhuley JN.

Pharmacology and Toxicology Division, Hindustan Antibiotics Limited, Pimpri,
Pune, India.

In order to gain insight into the antioxidant effect of cinnamon (Cinnamomum
verum; Lauraceae) and cardamom (Amomum subulatum; Zingiberaceae) hepatic and
cardiac antioxidant enzymes, glutathione (GSH) content and lipid conjugated
dienes were studied in rats fed high fat diet along with cinnamon or cardamom.
The antioxidant enzyme activities were found to be significantly enhanced
whereas GSH content was markedly restored in rats fed a fat diet with spices. In
addition, these spices partially counteracted increase in lipid conjugated
dienes and hydroperoxides, the primary products of lipid peroxidation. Thus, it
appears that these spices exert antioxidant protection through their ability to
activate the antioxidant enzymes.

PMID: 10641152 [PubMed /​ indexed for MEDLINE]

8: Mycopathologia. 1996;134(2):109/​14.

High incidence of Aspergillus flavus and aflatoxins in stored groundnut in Ghana
and the use of a microbial assay to assess the inhibitory effects of plant
extracts on aflatoxin synthesis.

Awuah RT, Kpodo KA.

Department of Crop Science, University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.

Groundnut samples from 21 selected markets in the 10 regions of Ghana yielded
high levels of the aflatoxigenic fungus Aspergillus flavus on half/​strength
potato dextrose agar. The fungus was associated with 31.7 and 12.8%,
respectively, of all damaged and undamaged kernels assayed. Only 0.24% of total
kernels assayed yielded A. parasiticus. Other fungi detected from total kernels
assayed were A. niger (34%), A. candidus (1.45%), A. tamarii (3.93%), A.
ochraceous (5.26%), Fusarium spp. (1.7%) Penicillium spp. (5.19%), a Mucor sp.
(2.3%), a Trichoderma sp. (0.2%), Rhizopus stolonifer (12%) and certain
unidentifiable fungi (11.72%). Total aflatoxin levels ranging from 5.7 to 22,
168 ppb were identified with damaged kernel samples. The mycotoxin was not
detected in 50% of undamaged kernel samples tested and very low levels mostly
ranging from 0.1 to 12.2 ppb were associated with the undamaged samples that
tested positive for aflatoxins. In a novel in vitro microbial assay to determine
the effectiveness of certain plant extracts against aflatoxin synthesis,
extracts from Xylopia aethiopica, Monodera myristica, Cinnamomum verum and Piper
nigrum permitted fungal growth in 1.5% potato/​dextrose broth while completely
suppressing NOR formation. These extracts, however, could not suppress NOR
formation in a yeast extract sucrose medium.

Publication Types:
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non/​P.H.S.

PMID: 8981776 [PubMed /​ indexed for MEDLINE]