Background/Objectives: Essential oils of Thymbra spicata subsp. spicata are known for their rich phytochemical content and bioactive properties. This study aimed to evaluate the antimicrobial, anti-biofilm and anti-quorum sensing, as well as the cytotoxic activities of T. spicata subsp. spicata essential oils (TS-EO1 and TS-EO2) obtained from two different localities in Türkiye, along with a detailed chemical composition analysis. Methods: TS-EO1 and TS-EO2 were obtained by the hydrodistillation method and analyzed using Gas Chromatography—Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) to determine their phytochemical profiles. Antimicrobial activities were assessed against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, and fungal strains were assessed using the broth microdilution method. Anti-biofilm and anti-quorum sensing activities were evaluated using Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 and Chromobacterium violaceum ATCC 12472, respectively. Cytotoxic properties were tested on four cell lines (A549, MCF-7, U87MG, and L929) using the MTT assay. Results: Both essential oil samples were rich in carvacrol (54.3% and 54.1%), followed by p-cymene and γ-terpinene. The essential oils exhibited significant antimicrobial activity, particularly against Staphylococcus aureus (6.25 mg/mL) and Candida parapsilosis (0.20 mg/mL). Sub-MIC concentrations significantly inhibited biofilm formation and quorum sensing. Both samples showed moderate cytotoxic properties against human cancer cell lines, particularly A549 (IC50: 116.3 and 134.4 μg/mL, respectively). Conclusions: This study showed that T. spicata subsp. spicata essential oils have significant antimicrobial, anti-biofilm, and anti-quorum sensing properties against various bacteria and fungi, along with moderate cytotoxic effects, indicating their medicinal and pharmaceutical potentials. This is the first study which revealed anti-biofilm and anti-quorum sensing properties of T. spicata essential oils to our knowledge.

Pyrethroid pesticides are frequently used for household insect control of insects and in agriculture and livestock. Flumethrin is a pyrethroid that is used against ectoparasites in many animals. The goal of this study was to evaluate the cytotoxic, apoptotic, genotoxic, and estrogenic effects of flumethrin on the mammalian breast cancer cell line (MCF-7). Compared with control groups, a dose-dependent decrease was observed in cell viability at concentrations of 100 µM and higher. The cytotoxic and apoptotic effects detected by LDH assay and AO/EtBr staining increased significantly at a concentration of 1000 µM. The expression of BCL2, which is an anti-apoptotic gene, significantly decreased, whereas BAX, TP53, and P21 expression significantly increased. The results of a comet assay indicated that flumethrin significantly changed tail length, tail % DNA, tail moment, and Olive tail moment in concentrations above 1 and 10 µM. In addition, a 0.1 µM concentration of flumethrin affected ERα receptor mediated cell proliferation and increased transcription of estrogen-responsive pS2 (TFF1) and progesterone receptor (PGR) genes. As a result, flumethrin-induced apoptosis and cytotoxicity at a high concentration, while induced genotoxicity even at lower concentrations. Flumethrin is an endocrine disrupting insecticide with estrogenic effects at very low concentrations.

Background/Objectives: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the antimicrobial, antibiofilm, anti-quorum sensing, and cytotoxic activities of the essential oils extracted from the leaves of Dorystoechas hastata Boiss & Helder. ex Bentham (Lamiaceae) (DHL-EO) as well as to determine the chemical composition of the essential oils obtained from both the leaves and roots. Methods: The essential oils of the root and leaf were extracted by the hydrodistillation method. The chemical composition of the two oils was determined by Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). The antimicrobial activity of DHL-EO was determined against Gram-positive, Gram-negative bacteria, and various Candida species using the broth microdilution method. Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 and Chromobacterium violaceum ATCC 12472 were used for antibiofilm and anti-quorum sensing activities, respectively. The cytotoxic activity of the DHL-EO was examined by MTT assay. Results: Eucalyptol (21.3%), 2-bornanone (17.0%), and α-pinene (10.3%) were the main compounds of the DHL-EO. The root essential oil (DHR-EO) had trans-ferruginol (19.2%), guaiol (14.1%), and ar-abietatriene (14.0%) as the main components. The DHL-EO displayed weak and moderate antimicrobial activity. The DHL-EO showed moderate antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 29213 (methicillin-susceptible, MSSA) and S. aureus ATCC 43300 (methicillin-resistant, MRSA), with a MIC value of 12.5 mg/mL. The DHL-EO exhibited the strongest antifungal activity against Candida parapsilosis RSKK 994, with a MIC value of 0.78 mg/mL. It also demonstrated antifungal activity against C. parapsilosis ATCC 22019 and Candida krusei RSKK 3016, with MIC values of 3.12 mg/mL. The DHL-EO showed antibiofilm activity in a concentration-dependent manner, particularly at higher concentrations, and inhibited violacein production in a dose-dependent manner, with anti-quorum sensing activity. The DHL-EO displayed moderate cytotoxic activity against MCF-7 (IC₅₀: 110.3 μg/mL) and A549 (IC₅₀: 120.4 μg/mL) cell lines. Conclusions: The chemical composition of DHL-EO and DHR-EO showed qualitative and quantitative differences from each other in the present study. The essential oil of the leaves showed moderate cytotoxic and antibacterial activities.

This study aims to investigate the phytochemical composition and cytotoxic activities of essential oils derived from Ferula tenuisecta Korovin, given its traditional medicinal uses and potential as a source of bioactive compounds. The hydrodistillation method was used to extract essential oils from the root, stem, and flower of F. tenuisecta. The yields were calculated as 1.7 mL of essential oil in the roots, 0.03 mL in the flowers and 0.01 mL in the stems. The chemical composition was analyzed by GC-MS, identifying 41 compounds in flower oil accounting for 92.8% of the total essential oil, 40 in stem oil accounting for 83.6% of the total essential oil, and 35 in root oil accounting for 98.5% of the total essential oil. In flower essential oil, camphor (14.8%) and α-pinene (11.5%) were the predominant compounds. Oxygenated sesquiterpenes (32.8%), oxygenated monoterpenes (30.4%), and monoterpenes (19.6%) were the dominant chemical groups. In stem essential oil, osthole (13.9%) and 4-oxo-β-ionol (12.4%) were the main compounds. Oxygenated sesquiterpenes (38.9%), coumarin (13.9%), and aromatics (11.0%) were the dominant chemical groups. In root essential oil, fenchone (25.3%), α-pinene (18.5%), and fenchol (12.0%) were the predominant compounds. Cytotoxic activity was determined by MTT assay. This is the first comprehensive study analyzing the chemical composition and cytotoxic properties of essential oils derived from three parts of F. tenuisecta.

Amaç: Günümüzde hazır ve paketli gıdaların yaygınlaşmasıyla birlikte gıda katkı maddelerinin kullanımı da hızla artmıştır. Tatlandırıcılar, renklendiriciler, koruyucular ve kıvam artırıcılar gibi birçok katkı maddesi, bireylerin günlük yaşamında kaçınılmaz hale gelmiştir. Sodyum benzoat ve potasyum sorbat ise özellikle gıda ve ilaç sanayisinde yaygın olarak kullanılan güçlü antimikrobiyal maddelerdir. Ancak, bu maddelerin bu kadar geniş çapta kullanımının insan sağlığı üzerindeki etkileri hakkında yeterli bilimsel veri bulunmamaktadır. Bu belirsizlikler, sodyum benzoat ve potasyum sorbatın potansiyel zararlarını daha derinlemesine araştırma gereksinimini doğurmuştur. Bu çalışmanın amacı, sodyum benzoat ve potasyum sorbatın L929 fare fibroblast ve HOB insan osteoblast hücreleri üzerinde konsantrasyona bağlı olarak sitotoksik etkilerinin gösterilmesini amaçlamaktadır. Yöntem: Sodyum Benzoat ve Potasyum Sorbat’ın sitotoksik etkilerinin değerlendirilmesi için HOB ve L929 hücre soylarına 24 saat süre 10 farklı konsantrasyonun (0,5mM- 100mM) maruziyeti yapılmış ve MTT yöntemi ile hücre canlılığı belirlenmiştir. Bulgular: MTT testi sonuçlarına göre; Sodyum Benzoat’ın ve Potasyum Sorbat’ın her iki hücre soyu için 20 mM üzerinde konsantrasyona göre anlamlı derece artan sitotoksik etkisi olduğu gösterilmiştir. Sodyum Benzoat’ın L929 ve HOB hücrelerinde 24 saat için IC50 değerleri sırasıyla; 240,7 ve 99,78 mM; Potasyum Sorbat’ın L929 ve HOB hücrelerinde IC50 değerleri sırasıyla; 404,9 ve 122,1mM olarak hesaplanmıştır. Sonuç: Gıda takviyelerinde ve endüstride en sık kullanılan katkı maddelerinden olan Sodyum Benzoat ve Potasyum Sorbat’ın iki farklı sağlıklı hücre hattında artan konsantrasyonlarla gösterdiği sitotoksik etkiler, bu maddelere maruz kalmanın daha kontrollü bir şekilde gerçekleştirilmesi gerektiğini ortaya koymaktadır. Bununla birlikte, bu konsantrasyonlardaki etkileri daha iyi anlamak için daha ayrıntılı moleküler çalışmalar yapılmalıdır.