Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, affecting millions of people each year. Fortunately, the last decades have been marked by considerable advances in the field of cancer therapy. Researchers have discovered many natural substances, some of which are isolated from plants that have promising anti-tumor activity. Among these, essential oils (EOs) and their constituents have been widely studied and shown potent anticancer activities, both in vitro and in vivo. However, despite the promising results, the precise mechanisms of action of EOs and their bioactive compounds are still poorly understood. Further research is needed to better understand these mechanisms, as well as their effectiveness and safety in use. Furthermore, the use of EOs as anticancer drugs is complex, as it requires absolute pharmacodynamic specificity and selectivity, as well as an appropriate formulation for effective administration. In this study, we present a synthesis of recent work on the mechanisms of anticancer action of EOs and their bioactive compounds, examining the results of various in vitro and in vivo studies. We also review future research prospects in this exciting field, as well as potential implications for the development of new cancer drugs.

The effect of extract of brown alga Bifurcaria bifurcata (Bb) on the corrosion of steel in 1 M HCl solution was studied using weight loss, potentiodynamic, and polarization resistance measurements. Experimental data revealed that Bb extract acted as an inhibitor in the acid environment. The extract was a mixed-type inhibitor, predominating as an anodic inhibitor at higher concentration. It was found that the inhibition efficiency increased with an increase in Bb extract concentration. The corrosion inhibition of Bb extract on carbon steel in 1 M HCl solution was also investigated by infrared and UV-visible spectrophotometry to obtain information on bonding mechanism between the metallic surface and the inhibitor. The process of inhibition is attributed to the adsorption of the extract molecules, the precipitation of Fe-chelates, and/or formation of complex at the electrode surface.

The present investigation aimed to study antimicrobial activities in marine microalgae, screened from Moroccan coastlines. Ethanolic extracts were prepared from the microalgae and evaluated each against the bacteria: Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus, the yeast Candida albicans and the fungus Aspergillus niger. The highest antibacterial activity was found in the extract of Tetraselmis sp. which exhibited an inhibitory effect against the three bacteria with a MIC of 2.6 to 3.0 mg extract per mL culture. Extracts from the other microalgae: Dunaliella Salina, Nannochloropsis gaditana, Dunaliella sp., Phaeodactylum tricornutum and Isochrisis sp. each showed inhibitory activity against E. coli or P. aeruginosa with a MIC of 2.6 to 4.3 mg extract per mL. The extract of N. gaditana also inhibited S. aureus growth. However, the extracts from the microalgae, Chaetoceros sp. and Chlorella sp. showed no effect under the applied experimental conditions. All the tested extracts inhibited the growth of C. albicans; the highest activity was obtained from N. gaditana with a MIC of 4.0 mg extract per mL culture. Aspergillus niger appeared to be resistant to the effect of the extracts. The observed antimicrobial activities were linked to the contents of the extracts in fatty acids, carotenoids and phenolic compounds. In conclusion, the studied microalgae could be considered as a potential natural source of bioactive compounds with antimicrobial activities.

Oriental Journal of Chemistry is a peer reviewed quarterly research journal of pure and applied chemistry. It publishes standard research papers in almost all thrust areas of current chemistry of academic and commercial importance. It provides a platform for rapid publication of quality research papers, reviews and chemistry letters. Oriental Journal of Chemistry is abstracted and indexed in almost all reputed National and International agencies.