The inoculum size effect in the dimorphic fungus Candida albicans results from production of an extracellular quorum-sensing molecule (QSM). This molecule prevents mycelial development in both a growth morphology assay and a differentiation assay using three chemically distinct triggers for germ tube formation (GTF): L-proline, N-acetylglucosamine, and serum (either pig or fetal bovine). In all...

BACKGROUND Cymbopogon species are widely used as herbal remedies by the traditional healers living in Nkonkobe Municipality for the treatment and management of skin and respiratory infections. According to our survey, the plants seem to be very important because of the higher demands. METHODS The leaves of C. validis and C. plurinodis were hydro-distilled and the resulted extracted oils were ...

Paracoccidioidomycosis is a prevalent systemic mycosis in Latin America which requires prolonged treatment with highly toxic antifungals. Baccharis dracunculifolia is a medicinal plant in Brazil that is a candidate in the search for new drugs. Fractions of the hexanic extracts were obtained using chromatographic procedures and assessed using an antifungal assay with Paracoccidioides brasiliensi...

In this study, chemical compositions of hydrodistilled essential oil and anti-inflammatory activities from the twigs of Cinnamomum osmophloeum Kaneh. were investigated for the first time. The chemical constituents of the twig essential oil were further analyzed by GC-MS and they were found to be L-bornyl acetate (15.89%), caryophyllene oxide (12.98%), gamma-eudesmol (8.03%), beta-caryophyllene ...

The West Bekaa region of Lebanon is mostly an agricultural land where traditional herbal medicine is a common practice. Many medicinal applications are especially attributed to the Citrus aurantium plant mainly used in the food and drink industry. In this work, the essential oil of Citrus aurantium is studied in an attempt to find an explanation for the different medical applications of this pl...

BACKGROUND The fire ant, Solenopsis invicta, is one of the most aggressive and invasive species in the world. The trail pheromone Z,E-α-farnesene (91% purity) was prepared, and disruption of worker trail orientation was tested using an ethanol-based aerosol formulation presenting a single puff of this compound by airbrush and compressed air. Trail-following behaviour was recorded by overhead we...

Terpenoids, the largest class of plant secondary metabolites, play essential roles in both plant and human life. In higher plants, the five-carbon building blocks of all terpenoids, isopentenyl diphosphate (IPP) and dimethylallyl diphosphate, are derived from two independent pathways localized in different cellular compartments. The methylerythritol phosphate (MEP or nonmevalonate) pathway, loc...

The biological activity and composition of the essential oil of Sclerorhachis leptoclada Rech. f. an endemic species from northeast of Iran was studied. The essential oil was isolated from the aerial flowering parts of the plant and analyzed by GC and GC-MS. Fifty-four compounds accounting for 95.9% of the total oil were characterized. The main constituents were (E)-nerolidol (14.5%), terpinen-...

Within the Open Science project entitled 'Botanic Garden, factory of molecules', a multidisciplinary study approach was applied to Ballota acetabulosa (L.) Benth., at Ghirardi Botanic Garden (Toscolano Maderno, BS, Italy). Micromorphological and histochemical investigations were performed on secreting structures vegetative reproductive organs under light, fuorescence electronic microscopy. Conc...

The discovery of new mechanisms resistance and natural bioactive molecules could be two the possible ways to reduce fungicide use in vineyard assure an acceptable sustainable protection against Plasmopara viticola, grapevine downy mildew agent. Emission volatile organic compounds (VOCs), such as terpenes, norisoprenoids, alcohols aldehydes, is frequently induced plants response attack by pathog...