ABSTRACT This study reports a novel comprehensive chemical characterization of Rosa damascena Mill. (Rosaceae) petals cultivated in northern Italy. Essential oil was distilled by using a Milestone ‘DRY-DIST’ system under optimized microwave-assisted hydrodistillation (MAHD) conditions (45 min, 620 W), yielding 0.02% of oil. Volatiles were characterized by gas chromatography based techniques, revealing a profile dominated by non-terpenoid hydrocarbons (79.6%) such as nonadecane (41.7%), and terpene oxygenated derivatives (18.9%) with geranial (7.3%), citronellol (3.6%) and (2E,6E)-farnesol (3.2%) as major constituents. Polyphenols in fresh and distilled petals (by-products) were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to photodiode array detector and mass spectrometry. Quercetin-3-O-hexoside isomers, rutin and kaempferol derivatives were quantified up to 9594.8 mg Kg−1 in aqueous residues. The study demonstrates that MAHD preserves and co-extracts valuable volatiles and phenols, contributing to sustainable approach for Rosa damascena valorisation. This represents the first dual chromatographic investigation of MAHD-extracted Italian samples, with potential application in cosmetic, nutraceutical and fragrance industries.

ABSTRACT Frankincense essential oil has emerged as a versatile natural product with significant therapeutic, cosmetic, and industrial applications. This review explores its bioactive components, which underpin its anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and anticancer properties. A bibliometric analysis of studies from 2018 to 2024 revealed a growing global interest, with contributions primarily from the United States, China, and India. Innovative techniques such as supercritical fluid and nano emulsion systems have enhanced its efficacy and broadened its applications. Frankincense essential oil has demonstrated promising results in cancer therapy, pain management, skincare, aromatherapy, and functional foods. However, challenges remain, including the need for sustainable sourcing, clinical validation, and regulatory compliance. Addressing these gaps through multidisciplinary research and collaboration will further unlock its potential. This review highlights frankincense oil’s growing prominence and underscores its role as a sustainable, bioactive resource in health and wellness industries.

ABSTRACT Cold-pressed mandarin (Citrus deliciosa Ten.) essential oil is prized for its aroma and bioactive properties, yet its composition varies seasonally. This study assessed the volatile profile, enantiomeric distribution, and polymethoxyflavone (PMF) content of Sicilian mandarin oils across different harvests. A total of 111 samples were collected over three consecutive seasons (2020–2024) in Sicily. Volatile compounds were analyzed using gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometer (GC–MS) for identification and flame ionization detector (GC–FID) for quantification. Enantiomeric ratios of selected chiral monoterpenes were determined via dual-detection enantioselective GC–(FID)₂, improving separation of critical pairs. PMF content was measured by HPLC-PDA. Results revealed significant seasonal variation in volatile and PMF profiles, highlighting the influence of harvest timing on oil quality. Enantiomeric ratios also varied, confirming their role as reliable quality indicators.

ABSTRACT The high market value of certain essential oils (EOs), such as lemon essential oil (LEO), makes them particularly susceptible to adulteration. Such adulteration typically involves the intentional addition of low-value EOs. In this study, we mixed LEO and sweet orange essential oil (SOEO), lime essential oil (LiEO), and grapefruit essential oil (GEO) at varying concentrations. We then used Attenuated Total Reflectance – Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), and principal component regression (PCR), partial least squares regression (PLS), and artificial neural network (ANN) chemometrics to quantify adulteration in the samples. The ANN models produce the best accuracy, however it is computationally expensive and not practical. We further demonstrate that PLS using the 2000–1000 cm−1, ATR-FTIR spectral region produces good accuracy in predicting % v/v LEO, SOEO, LiEO, and GEO in the samples.

ABSTRACT Essential oils (EOs) are volatile natural compounds widely used in perfumery, food, pharmaceuticals, and as solvents. Although their nominal shelf-life after opening is 12 months, their antibacterial and antiviral properties may enable longer preservation if properly stored. This study investigates the long-term stability of samples of lemon EOs accidentally stored in hermetically sealed glass bottles for 25 years. Comprehensive analyses were conducted to evaluate their chemical and biological properties. Gas chromatography with flame ionization detection (GC-FID) was used to compare the aged samples to a genuine and organic certified reference essential oil (CREO) produced in Catania, Sicily in 2024 and bottled in functional units of 10 mL by LaborBio, Collegno (Turin, Italy). Additionally, microbiological tests and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy were performed to identify and characterize a white-grey precipitate found in the samples. The findings reveal that EOs can maintain their composition and functionality well beyond the expected shelf-life, suggesting significant opportunities for reducing industrial waste and optimizing storage practices.

ABSTRACT This study involved the investigation of chemical compositions of essential oil of Achillea santolinoides subsp. wilhelmsii (K. Koch) Greuter obtained by hydrodistillation of its aerial parts and analysed using GC and GC–MS. A quantitative variation in constituents was estimated in essential oils of samples collected from 11 different regions of Hamedan province. The major constituents of the essential oils were camphor (8.06–44.87%), fragranol (0.20–43.29%), α-pinene (0.82–23.78%) and sabinene (0.45–20.05%). Five main chemotypes were found to be Chemotype I (camphor), Chemotype II (fragranol), Chemotype III (camphor/α-pinene), Chemotype IV (camphor/1,8- cineol) and chemotype V (sabinene).

ABSTRACT This study investigated the chemical composition of essential oils (EOs) of the three Greek members of genus Stachys, namely S. horvaticii, S. leucoglossa subsp. leucoglossa, and S. parolinii. The ΕΟs were obtained by hydrodistillation and were analysed by GC–MS, resulting in the identification of 90 components across the three samples. In total, 35 compounds were detected in S. horvaticii, representing relative percentage of 90.3% of the total EO with geranyl-α-terpinene (27.5%) being the predominant component. Moreover, 42 constituents were found in S. parolinii, representing relative percentage of 92.7% of the EO, dominated by ar-abietatriene (33.2%). Concerning S. leucoglossa subsp. leucoglossa, 31 compounds were identified representing relative percentage of 91.7% of the total EO, among which the main constituent was (E)-phytol (21.7%). Diterpenes constituted the major fractions in all the investigated EOs. This is the first report on S. parolinii and S. leucoglossa subsp. leucoglossa EOs.

ABSTRACT Thymus zygis subsp. gracilis is an aromatic plant endemic to Morocco and Spain where it is used in the folk medicine. In this work, the essential oil (EO) composition of wild Moroccan accessions has been investigated by GC and GC-MS. The chromatogram showed the occurrence of oxygenated monoterpenes, with thymol (29.5%), carvacrol (10.6%), and linalool (7.2%) as the most abundant components; monoterpene hydrocarbons (15.2%), and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (12.5%), were less abundant with p-cymene (10.6%) and caryophyllene (8.3%) as the most representatives. The EO and its main constituents have been tested for their possible cytotoxic activity against three human tumor cell lines (MDA-MB 231, A375, and CaCo-2), with corresponding IC50 values of 31.10, 27.97, and 33.32 µg/mL, respectively. Carvacrol and caryophyllene resulted in the most active constituents. The results demonstrate a good cytotoxic activity against several tumors and suggest that T. zygis subsp. gracilis EO could be regarded as a natural bioactive source.

ABSTRACT Commiphora wightii is an important medicinal plant often widely used in ayurvedic medicines. However, the chemical constituents of the essential oil (EOs) obtained from C. agallocha were not well explored. Therefore, the present study aims to get an extreme understanding of the comparative volatile composition of different accessions of two important Commiphora species, namely C. wightii and C. agallocha, using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), followed by multivariate principal component analysis and partial least squares discriminant analysis-based chemometric analysis. A total of 129 diverse volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were identified in EOs of both Commiphora species, and the concentration of VOCs varied significantly from species to species as well as from accession to accession. In C. wightii EO, 80 compounds were identified, containing sesquiterpenes followed by diterpenes, whereas 49 compounds were identified in C. agallocha EO with high sesquiterpene levels. The GC-MS and chemometric analyses distinguished C. wightii and C. agallocha species based on their qualitative and quantitative variations in terpenoid contents. Both EOs exhibited promising antioxidant activity to the positive standard butylated hydroxyl toluene. The EOs of the Commiphora species exhibited antimicrobial activities in disc diffusion and biofilm assays against two bacterial and one fungal strain; however, C. wightii EO displayed a strong inhibitory effect against Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans compared to other EOs. In this study, we first reported the comprehensive profiling of terpenoid content of C. wightii and C. agallocha stems along with their antibiofilm activity against two pathogenic bacterial strains and one fungal strain in a comparative manner. Based on the comparative antimicrobial assay between two Commiphora species, the EO of C. wightii showed good biofilm inhibition potential against Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans compared with EO of C. agallocha. Based on the current results, the two Commiphora species may be promising ingredients for applications in the pharmaceutical industry.

ABSTRACT This research study focused on determining the lethal concentrations of essential oils extracted from O. basilicum L. Mentha piperita L. Origanum vulgare L. and Thymus vulgaris L. against the two-spotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae). This notorious agricultural pest wreaks havoc on various plants, causing widespread damage worldwide, as well as their blends and major compounds, using the fumigation method. GC-MS identified the essential oils and major compounds. The essential oils of O. basilicum, M. piperita, O. vulgare, and T. vulgaris had estragole (91.8%), menthol (39.11%), carvacrol (76,8%), and thymol (45,76%) as major compounds, respectively. The most toxic LC50 value was observed with O. basilicum essential oil (8.02 μL.L−1). Blends 7, 8, and 11 showed better results in terms of mite toxicity. The major compounds also displayed promising results. Thus, this study individual presents promising alternatives with potential for managing the two-spotted spider mite.