Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
6.5
4.5
Journals
Plants
Special Issues
Spicy and Aromatic Plants
share announcement

Spicy and Aromatic Plants

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 June 2022) | Viewed by 23425

Printed Edition Available!
A printed edition of this Special Issue is available here.

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Romina Alina Marc (Vlaic)

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Food Engineering Department, Faculty of Food Science and Technology, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Interests: plant raw materials; bioactive components; quality control of vegetable products; antioxidants; polyphenols; flavonoids; spectroscopy
Dr. Crina Muresan

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Food Engineering Department, Faculty of Food Science and Technology, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Interests: biotechnology; molecular biology; genetic modified food; ecological food
Dr. Muresan Andruta Elena

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Food Engineering Department, Faculty of Food Science and Technology, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, 3–5 Calea Mănăștur Street, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Interests: quality control of vegetable products; plant raw materials in the food industry; antioxidants; flavors; infrared spectroscopy; chemometrics; food industry equipments

Special Issue Information

Spicy and aromatic plants have been used for thousands of years to flavor food, but also for healing purposes. Until a few decades ago, however, this was done with impressively little knowledge about their actual properties.

The attitude towards these plants has changed, the need for knowledge has increased. The studies are oriented towards an in-depth analysis of the valuable compounds in these plants in order to which can be used in the food, pharmaceutical, cosmetic or agricultural industries.

In this context, the exploitation of spicy and aromatic plants to use valuable functional compounds is one of the most feasible approaches.

This Special Edition aims to offer a wide range of viable alternative models that use valuable compounds from spicy and aromatic plants. Researchers in these fields are invited to submit original research articles as well as relevant state-of-the-art reviews to be published in this Special Issue of Plants.

Dr. Romina Alina Marc (Vlaic)
Dr. Crina Muresan
Dr. Andruta Muresan
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Plants is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • spicy plants
  • aromatic plants
  • hot plants
  • plant extracts
  • bioactive compounds
  • natural products
  • plant volatiles
  • essential oils
  • aromatic compounds
  • polyphenols
  • flavonoids
  • antioxidants

Published Papers (7 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Editorial

Jump to: Research, Review

3 pages, 204 KiB  
Editorial
Spicy and Aromatic Plants
by Romina A. Marc, Crina C. Mureșan and Andruța E. Mureșan
Plants 2023, 12(4), 848; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/plants12040848 - 14 Feb 2023
Viewed by 974
Abstract
The purpose of this Special Issue entitled “Spicy and Aromatic Plants” is to expand our knowledge about edible plants, which have been used for thousands of years, by all the peoples of the world, in every household [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spicy and Aromatic Plants)

Research

Jump to: Editorial, Review

13 pages, 1613 KiB  
Article
Cytotoxicity Evaluation and Antioxidant Activity of a Novel Drink Based on Roasted Avocado Seed Powder
by Andreea Pușcaș, Anda E. Tanislav, Romina A. Marc, Vlad Mureșan, Andruța E. Mureșan, Emoke Pall and Constantin Cerbu
Plants 2022, 11(8), 1083; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/plants11081083 - 15 Apr 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3628
Abstract
The avocado seed is an underused waste resulting from the processing of pulp. Polyphenols, fibers, and carotenoids are present in the seed, which also exhibits prophylactic, fungicidal, and larvicidal effects. Developing food products with avocado seed as an ingredient or spice is highly [...] Read more.
The avocado seed is an underused waste resulting from the processing of pulp. Polyphenols, fibers, and carotenoids are present in the seed, which also exhibits prophylactic, fungicidal, and larvicidal effects. Developing food products with avocado seed as an ingredient or spice is highly desired for nutritional, environmental, and economic reasons. The present study proposed its valorization in a hot drink, similar to already existing coffee alternatives, obtained by infusing the roasted and grinded avocado seed. The proximate composition of the raw or conditioned avocado seed and that of the novel drink were determined. The total phenolic content was assessed using the Folin-Ciocâlteu method. The total carotenoids were extracted and assessed spectrophotometrically. Starch determination was performed by the Ewers Polarimetric method. The highest content of polyphenols, 772.90 mg GAE/100 g, was determined in the crude seed, while in the drink was as low as 17.55 mg GAE/100 g. However, the proposed drink demonstrated high antioxidant capacity, evaluated through the DPPH method. This might be due to the high content of the total carotenoid compounds determined in the roasted seed (6534.48 µg/100 g). The proposed drink demonstrated high antiproliferative activity on Hs27 and DLD-1 cell lines. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spicy and Aromatic Plants)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

21 pages, 2670 KiB  
Article
Antidiarrheal and Cardio-Depressant Effects of Himalaiella heteromalla (D.Don) Raab-Straube: In Vitro, In Vivo, and In Silico Studies
by Fatima Saqib, Faisal Usman, Shehneela Malik, Naheed Bano, Najm Ur-Rahman, Muhammad Riaz, Romina Alina Marc (Vlaic) and Crina Carmen Mureşan
Plants 2022, 11(1), 78; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/plants11010078 - 27 Dec 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2320
Abstract
Himalaiella heteromalla (D.Don) Raab-Straube is a commonly used remedy against various diseases. Crude extract and fractions of H. heteromalla were investigated for a gastrointestinal, bronchodilator, cardiovascular, and anti-inflammatory activities. H. heteromalla crude extract (Hh.Cr) relaxed spontaneous contractions and K+ (80 mM)-induced contraction [...] Read more.
Himalaiella heteromalla (D.Don) Raab-Straube is a commonly used remedy against various diseases. Crude extract and fractions of H. heteromalla were investigated for a gastrointestinal, bronchodilator, cardiovascular, and anti-inflammatory activities. H. heteromalla crude extract (Hh.Cr) relaxed spontaneous contractions and K+ (80 mM)-induced contraction in jejunum tissue dose-dependently. The relaxation of K+ (80 mM) indicates the presence of Ca++ channel blocking (CCB) effect, which was further confirmed by constructing calcium response curves (CRCs) as they caused rightward parallel shift of CRCs in a manner comparable to verapamil, so the spasmolytic effect of Hh.Cr was due to its CCB activity. Application of Hh.Cr on CCh (1 µM) and K+ (80 mM)-induced contraction in tracheal preparation resulted in complete relaxation, showing its bronchodilator effect mediated through Ca++ channels and cholinergic antagonist activity. Application of Hh.Cr on aortic preparations exhibited vasorelaxant activity through angiotensin and α-adrenergic receptors blockage. It also showed the cardio suppressant effect with negative chronotropic and inotropic response in paired atrium preparation. Similar effects were observed in in vivo models, i.e., decreased propulsive movement, wet feces, and inhibition of edema formation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spicy and Aromatic Plants)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

14 pages, 6445 KiB  
Article
Chemical Composition and Assessment of Antimicrobial Activity of Lavender Essential Oil and Some By-Products
by Alexandru Ciocarlan, Lucian Lupascu, Aculina Aricu, Ion Dragalin, Violeta Popescu, Elisabeta-Irina Geana, Roxana Elena Ionete, Nicoleta Vornicu, Octavian G. Duliu, Gergana Hristozova and Inga Zinicovscaia
Plants 2021, 10(9), 1829; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/plants10091829 - 3 Sep 2021
Cited by 20 | Viewed by 5257
Abstract
The producers of essential oils from the Republic of Moldova care about the quality of their products and at the same time, try to capitalize on the waste from processing. The purpose of the present study was to analyze the chemical composition of [...] Read more.
The producers of essential oils from the Republic of Moldova care about the quality of their products and at the same time, try to capitalize on the waste from processing. The purpose of the present study was to analyze the chemical composition of lavender (Lavanda angustifolia L.) essential oil and some by-products derived from its production (residual water, residual herbs), as well as to assess their “in vitro” antimicrobial activity. The gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of essential oils produced by seven industrial manufacturers led to the identification of 41 constituents that meant 96.80–99.79% of the total. The main constituents are monoterpenes (84.08–92.55%), followed by sesquiterpenes (3.30–13.45%), and some aliphatic compounds (1.42–3.90%). The high-performance liquid chromatography analysis allowed the quantification of known triterpenes, ursolic, and oleanolic acids, in freshly dried lavender plants and in the residual by-products after hydrodistillation of the essential oil. The lavender essential oil showed good antibacterial activity against Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Xanthomonas campestris, Erwinia carotovora at 300 μg/mL concentration, and Erwinia amylovora, Candida utilis at 150 μg/mL concentration, respectively. Lavender plant material but also the residual water and ethanolic extracts from the solid waste residue showed high antimicrobial activity against Aspergillus niger, Alternaria alternata, Penicillium chrysogenum, Bacillus sp., and Pseudomonas aeroginosa strains, at 0.75–6.0 μg/mL, 0.08–0.125 μg/mL, and 0.05–4.0 μg/mL, respectively. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spicy and Aromatic Plants)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

14 pages, 2353 KiB  
Article
Biomolecular Evaluation of Lavandula stoechas L. for Nootropic Activity
by Aamir Mushtaq, Rukhsana Anwar, Umar Farooq Gohar, Mobasher Ahmad, Romina Alina Marc (Vlaic), Crina Carmen Mureşan, Marius Irimie and Elena Bobescu
Plants 2021, 10(6), 1259; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/plants10061259 - 21 Jun 2021
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2710
Abstract
Lavandula Stoechas L. is widely known for its pharmacological properties. This study was performed to identify its biomolecules, which are responsible for enhancement of memory. L. stoechas aqueous extract was first purified by liquid column chromatography. The purified fractions were analyzed for in [...] Read more.
Lavandula Stoechas L. is widely known for its pharmacological properties. This study was performed to identify its biomolecules, which are responsible for enhancement of memory. L. stoechas aqueous extract was first purified by liquid column chromatography. The purified fractions were analyzed for in vitro anti-cholinesterase activity. The fraction that produced the best anti-cholinesterase activity was named an active fraction of L. stoechas (AfL.s). This was then subjected to GC–MS for identifications of biomolecules present in it. GC–MS indicated the presence of phenethylamine and α-tocopherol in AfL.s. Different doses of AfL.s were orally administered (for seven days) to scopolamine-induced hyper-amnesic albino mice and then behavioral studies were performed on mice for two days. After that, animals were sacrificed and their brains were isolated to perform the biochemical assay. Results of behavioral studies indicated that AfL.s improved the inflexion ratio in mice, which indicated improvement in retention behavior. Similarly, AfL.s significantly (p < 0.001) reduced acetylcholinesterase and malondialdehyde contents of mice brain, but on the other hand, it improved the level of choline acetyltransferase, catalase, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione. It was found that that high doses of AfL.s (≥400 mg/Kg/p.o.) produced hyper-activity, hyperstimulation, ataxia, seizures, and ultimate death in mice. Its LD50 was calculated as 325 mg/Kg/p.o. The study concludes that α-tocopherol and phenethylamine (a primary amine) present in L. stoechas enhance memory in animal models. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spicy and Aromatic Plants)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

12 pages, 1354 KiB  
Article
Aromatic Profile Variation of Essential Oil from Dried Makwhaen Fruit and Related Species
by Trid Sriwichai, Jiratchaya Wisetkomolmat, Tonapha Pusadee, Korawan Sringarm, Kiattisak Duangmal, Shashanka K. Prasad, Bajaree Chuttong and Sarana Rose Sommano
Plants 2021, 10(4), 803; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/plants10040803 - 19 Apr 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2728
Abstract
The aim of this research is to evaluate the relationship between genotype, phenotype, and chemical profiles of essential oil obtained from available Zanthoxylum spp. Three specimens of makhwaen (MK) distributed in Northern Thailand were genetically and morphologically compared with other Zanthoxylum spices, known [...] Read more.
The aim of this research is to evaluate the relationship between genotype, phenotype, and chemical profiles of essential oil obtained from available Zanthoxylum spp. Three specimens of makhwaen (MK) distributed in Northern Thailand were genetically and morphologically compared with other Zanthoxylum spices, known locally as huajiao (HJ) and makwoung (MKO), respectively. HJ was taxonomically confirmed as Z. armatum while MKO and MK were identified as Z. rhetsa and Z. myriacanthum. Genetic sequencing distributed these species into three groups accordingly to their confirmed species. Essential oil of the dried fruits from these samples was extracted and analyzed for their chemical and physical properties. Cluster analysis of their volatile compositions separated MKO and MK apart from HJ with L-limonene, terpinen-4-ol, β-phellandrene, and β-philandrene. By using odor attributes, the essential oil of MKO and MK were closely related possessing fruity, woody, and citrus aromas, while the HJ was distinctive. Overall, the phenotypic characteristic can be used to elucidate the species among makhwaen fruits of different sources. The volatile profiling was nonetheless dependent on the genotypes but makwoung and makhwaen showed similar profiles. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spicy and Aromatic Plants)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Editorial, Research

21 pages, 399 KiB  
Review
Spicy and Aromatic Plants for Meat and Meat Analogues Applications
by Romina Alina Marc (Vlaic), Vlad Mureșan, Andruţa E. Mureșan, Crina Carmen Mureșan, Anda E. Tanislav, Andreea Pușcaș, Georgiana Smaranda Marţiș (Petruţ) and Rodica Ana Ungur
Plants 2022, 11(7), 960; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/plants11070960 - 1 Apr 2022
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3869
Abstract
Aromatic and spicy plants are an important factor that contributes not only to improving the taste of meat, meat products, and meat analogues, but also to increasing the nutritional value of the products to which they are added. The aim of this paper [...] Read more.
Aromatic and spicy plants are an important factor that contributes not only to improving the taste of meat, meat products, and meat analogues, but also to increasing the nutritional value of the products to which they are added. The aim of this paper is to present the latest information on the bioactive antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of the most commonly used herbs and spices (parsley, dill, basil, oregano, sage, coriander, rosemary, marjoram, tarragon, bay, thyme, and mint) used in the meat and meat analogues industry, or proposed to be used for meat analogues. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spicy and Aromatic Plants)
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-7
Back to TopTop