Journal of Medicinal Herbs
Volume:8 Issue: 2, Summer 2017

The genus Salvia (commonly known as sage) is a broad genus belonging to the family Lamiaceae. This study is aimed at assessing the essential oil composition and antimicrobial activities of two Salvia species. The chemical composition of the essential oils of Salvia officinalis L. and Salvia virgata Jacq, cultivated in Estahban (Fars, South Iran), was studied by means of GC-MSanalyses. Antimicrobial activity was tested against a panel of microorganisms including one Gram-positive (Staphylococcus epidermidis PTCC NO. 1435) and one Gram-negative (Escherichia coli) and three fungal strain (Alternaria alternata PTCC NO. 5224, Penicillium funiculosum PTCC NO. 5301 and P. funiculosum PTCC NO. 5169) using the disk diffusion and agar-well diffusion methods and the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) technique. In all, 57 compounds were identified, 42 for S. officinalis, accounting for 98.94% ofthe total oil, 29 for S. virgata (98.81%). The major components of S. officinalis essential oil were α-thujone (37.18%), 1,8-cineole (12.71%), β-thujone (9.10%) and the major components of S. virgata essential oil were caryophyllene oxide (30.23%), β-caryophyllene (22.63%), sabinene (11.82%). The antimicrobial activity of the total essential oil evaluated by the agar-well diffusion method, the results showed that the highest active against S. epidermidis and also the least active against E. coli. Inhibition of growth was tested by the disk diffusion method, the results showed that essential oil of S. officinalis and S. virgata were highest active against E. coli and P. funiculosum (PTCC NO. 5301), respectively. Also the least active against A. alternata. The results showed thatS. officinalis oil had higher antimicrobial activity compare to S. virgata

Indigenous people of West Africa use the whole-leaf of Desplatsia subericarpa (Bocq) in anti-diabetic soup delicacy. This study was designed to validate the anti-diabetic claims and delineating possible mechanisms. RT-PCR method was used to investigate regulation of intestinal glucose transporter 2 (GLUT2) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), and pancreatic insulin, L-type voltage-gated calcium channel genes. Insulin exocytosis was also monitored using ELISA method. The kidney sample was investigated for biomarkers of injury (kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1) and interleukin-1-β (IL-1β)). GLP-1 up-regulation, GLUT2 down-regulation and increased insulin exocytosis but not increased insulin gene expression was observed in animals after a 3-day culinary exposure to D. Subericarpa leaves. This mechanism may explain hypoglycemia in streptozotocin-induced diabetes in animals in this study. KIM-1 and IL-1-β genes were marked up regulated in normal animals exposed (14-day) to D. Subericarpa. D. Subericarpa whole leaf contains phytochemicals principles with anti-diabetic potency but may be nephrotoxic. Therefore, for clinical use, selective fractionation of active components from the toxic components is desirable.

Iranian ox-tongue (Echium amoenum Fisch. & Mey.) is an endemic Iranian medicinal plant belongs to Boraginaceae family. The violet-blue petals of this plant have been used in traditional medicine. Drying is one of the most critical and fundamental operations in the post-harvest processing of medicinal plants. This research was carried out in Islamic Azad University, Isfahan (Khorasgan) branch in 2015. The experiment was arranged based on completely randomized design with three repetitions. Drying methods are including sun and shade drying, oven-drying (45, 65 and 85∘C) and microwave drying (200, 300 and 400 W). Drying time of Iranian Ox-tongue petals and some biochemical properties such as total chlorophyll, the amount of carotenoids, anthocyanin content and total flavonoids were measured. The results showed that different drying methods had significant effects on drying time, chlorophyll, carotenoids, total flavonoid and anthocyanin contents of Iranian ox-tongue petals. The maximum and minimum drying times were measured in shade drying and microwave 400 W, respectively. The anthocyanin content gradually decreased with the increase of oven temperatures and microwave powers. Also shade drying method had the highest amount of total chlorophyll and carotenoids. Generally, regarding the biochemical composition, traditional shade drying is the optimum method for dying of Iranian ox-tongue petals.  According to this study, shade drying could be recommended in terms of qualitative characteristics of mentioned medicinal plant.

During recent decades, infections disease resulting from opportunistic fungi such as Candida albicans and resistance increasing of human pathogenic bacteria to current antibiotics has led to many problems for treating of these diseases. The aims of the present study was to investigate anti-fungi and anti-bacterial effects of Eucalyptus extract on Candida albicans species isolated from clinical samples and some standard human pathogenic bacteria. Eucalyptus extract was provided using rotary apparatus and maceration method. Thirty isolates of Candida albicans were isolated from referred patients to gynecologist and then were purified and identified by valid keys. Finally, 30 isolated were used to growth inhibitory activity assay. Minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of eucalyptus extract against 5 standard bacteria inculding: Staphylococcus aureu, Shigella dysenteriae, Listeria monocytogenes, Vibrio cholera and Bacillus cereus were evaluated using micro broth dilution method. Our results indicated that in compare to bacterial strains, fungus isolates showed more sensitivity to eucalyptus extract. The highest and lowest MIC of extract was recorded at 12.5 and 3.1 ppm for S. aureus and B. cereus, respectively. As MIC, the maximum MBC (20ppm) and minimum MBC (5ppm) of extract was recorded fro S. aureus and B. cereus respectively. Minimum inhibitory concentration of extract to fungal growth inhibitory was 50 ppm, whereas the maximum inhibiting concentration was 150 ppm. The positive and interesting results suggest the essential oil of E. globulus could be exploited antibiotic for the treatment of candidiasous disease caused by Candida albicans fungi, and some human pathogenic bacteria studied in this work.

Satureja Isophylla L.  is a medicinal herb which belongs to the family Lamiacease. Salinity affects the growth, the quality and quantity of essential oils of medicinal plants. Chitosan is also considered as a biological elicitor which plays a role in improving production of secondary metabolites of medicinal herbs. The current project was conducted to evaluate the effect of different concentrations of chitosan on growth indices and the quality and quantity of essential oil under salt stress (salinity). In this study, savory was treated by chitosan at three levels (0, 0.2 and 0.4 g/l) and NaCl with three concentrations (0, 50, and 100mM). After a two-week treatment, the dry weight of the root and the stem, the herb height, and the number of leaves and lateral branches were measured. In addition, the composition of the herb's essential oil was analyzed and identified by GC/MS. The results showed that salt stress decreased the dry weight of the root and stem, the herb height, and its number of leaves and lateral stems. Chitosan treatment could amend this reduction. Sodium chloride mutual treatment with the concentration of 50 mM as well as that of chitosan with the concentration of 0.2 g/l had a significant effect on the increase of the yield and quality of the essential oil. The results of the GC/MS analysis showed that 14 main compositions were detected in the essential oil, in which the major amount belonged to P-Cymene (3.13%), Y-Terpinene (28.97%) and Caryacrol ( 59.64%). The findings indicated that the utmost amount of Carvacrol was obtained by the increment of salt stress at the salt concentration of 100 mM and with chitosan concentration of 0.4 g/l; moreover, the greatest amount of P-Cymene and Y-Terpinene was obtained by the increment of salt stress with salt concentration of 50 mM and chitosan concentration of 0.4 g/l. Chitosan is recommended to be exploited in industry as it has moderating effects against salt stress in addition of the increment influence on the certain secondary metabolites of savory.

Thymus vulgaris L. and Thymus daenensis Celak (Thyme), members of the family Lamiaceae, are widely used in Iranian folk medicine. The aim of this research was to study how salicylic acid (SA), gibberellin (GA), and indole acetic acid (IAA)-seed priming affect UV-B radiation in seeds of Thyme (T. vulgaris, T. daenensis Celak) under both laboratory and outdoor conditions. The effects of phytohormones (200, 400, 600 ppm) and irradiation performed in a 60 Co Gamma cell 220 source at a dose of 3 kGy (10, 20 and 30 min) on seeds of Thyme species were studied. Seeds were tested under in vitro and outdoor conditions in a complete randomized factorial layout with 4 and 3 replications, respectively. The characters measured under in vitro condition were seed germination percentage, mean time of germination, root and stem length. On the field, the characters evaluated were number of leaf, length of plant, root and shoot dry matter and essential oil. SA treatment was better under in vitro conditions. No significant effects were obtained from GA and IAA. The most destructive effects and the best beneficial phytohormones were UV 30 min and SA (200 and 400 ppm), respectively. The effects of foliar application of hormones were determined on growth and essential oil production in medicinal plants in two consecutive years. Shoot dry matter increased in both years with SA applications but IAA and GA had no beneficial effects on germination characters after UV radiation. SA-priming of seeds protects thyme seedlings against UV-B radiation. The results of this study also showed that elevation of free SA levels in plants, either by exogenous feeding or genetically may enhance their tolerance to abiotic stress.

Nowadays, the use of chemical preservatives has been limited due to the controversial adverse effects. In this study, we evaluated the preservative potency of product with active herbal ingredients (Barij Baby cream) in contrast with the same products with two different chemical preservatives including methylparaben plus propylparaben and potassium sorbate plus sodium benzoate. The efficacy of herbal formulation against pathogens (E. coli, P. aeruginosa, C. albicans, A. niger, S. aureus) was evaluated by antimicrobial effectiveness test during 28 days. 2 log reductions in bacterial counts at 14 days from the initial count, and no growth in bacterial and fungal (molds and yeasts) counts at 28 days from the 14 days is essential for accepting the antimicrobial effectiveness of category 2 products in United States Pharmcopia (USP). Our results of antimicrobial effectiveness test showed that the active herbal ingredients in Barij Baby cream passed the USP criteria as chemical preservatives in the same product. Therefore, in designing new herbal products, it is essential to evaluate the antimicrobial effectiveness of products before supplemented the product with chemical preservatives.

The main aim of this study was stabilizing D. Sophia beverage and reduce its sedimentation rate.  Xanthan and Carboxy methyl cellulose gums have been used in three levels (0.05, .01 and .02 gr/lit) and mixture of Guar-xanthan and carboxymethyl cellulose (each .1 g/l) and extracted dried gum from D. Sophia in (1, 2 and 4 g/l) levels were added to beverage. Physicochemical, microbial and sensorial tests have been applied. Results indicated that pH, acidity, color and turbidity have been changed by gum addition while sedimentation rate has been reduced that resulted more stable beverage. The relationship between sedimentation rate and viscosity also has been investigated which showed other factors more than viscosity were effective in sedimentation rate. Increasing absorption of matrix illustrated that other factors more than viscosity were effective in sedimentation rate. Increasing absorption of matrix during the time showed that dissolved material has been increased over the time. Microbial analysis showed increment during storage. Sensory evaluation indicated that commercial gums have no significant effect on acceptability of beverages while D. Sophia`s gum has undesirable effect on it. According to the obtained data, it was determined that mixture of xanthan – guar gum and xanthan gum in 0.05g level had the best effect on the D. sophia particles stabilization.