<i>Origanum majorana</i> Extracts: A Preliminary Comparative Study on Phytochemical Profiles and Bioactive Properties of Valuable Fraction and By-Product
<i>Origanum majorana</i> L. (<i>O. majorana</i>) (Lamiaceae) is an aromatic Mediterranean plant widely used in food, cosmetics, and traditional medicine due to its aroma and rich content of bioactive compounds. While its leaves and flowers are commonly utilized, lignified ste...
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2025-07-01
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| author | Simone Bianchi Rosaria Acquaviva Claudia Di Giacomo Laura Siracusa Leeyah Issop-Merlen Roberto Motterlini Roberta Foresti Donata Condorelli Giuseppe Antonio Malfa |
| author_facet | Simone Bianchi Rosaria Acquaviva Claudia Di Giacomo Laura Siracusa Leeyah Issop-Merlen Roberto Motterlini Roberta Foresti Donata Condorelli Giuseppe Antonio Malfa |
| author_sort | Simone Bianchi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <i>Origanum majorana</i> L. (<i>O. majorana</i>) (Lamiaceae) is an aromatic Mediterranean plant widely used in food, cosmetics, and traditional medicine due to its aroma and rich content of bioactive compounds. While its leaves and flowers are commonly utilized, lignified stems are often discarded. This study compared hydroalcoholic extracts from the leaves and flowers (valuable fraction, VF) and stems (by-product, BP). Phytochemical analysis revealed qualitatively similar profiles, identifying 20 phenolic compounds, with Rosmarinic acid and Salvianolic acid B as the most and second most abundant, respectively. Antioxidant activity was evaluated in vitro using DPPH (IC<sub>50</sub> [µg/mL]: VF 30.11 ± 3.46; BP 31.72 ± 1.46), H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> (IC<sub>50</sub> [µg/mL]: VF 103.09 ± 4.97; BP 119.55 ± 10.58), and O<sub>2</sub><sup>•−</sup> (IC<sub>50</sub> [µg/mL]: VF 0.71 ± 0.062; BP 0.79 ± 0.070). Both extracts (20 µg/mL) fully restored oxidative balance in hemin-stressed AC16 cardiomyocytes, without altering the expression of catalase, heme-oxygenase 1, superoxide dismutase 2, or ferritin. Anti-inflammatory activity in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages showed that VF (IC<sub>50</sub> 400 µg/mL) reduced <sup>•</sup>NO release to control levels, while BP achieved a ~60% reduction. Cytotoxicity was assessed on cancer cell lines: CaCo-2 (IC<sub>50</sub> [µg/mL]: VF 154.1 ± 6.22; BP 305.2 ± 15.94), MCF-7 (IC<sub>50</sub> [µg/mL]: VF 624.6 ± 10.27; BP 917.9 ± 9.87), and A549 (IC<sub>50</sub> [µg/mL]: VF 720.8 ± 13.66; BP 920.2 ± 16.79), with no cytotoxicity on normal fibroblasts HFF-1 (IC<sub>50</sub> > 1000 µg/mL for both extracts). Finally, both extracts slightly inhibited only CYP1A2 (IC<sub>50</sub> [µg/mL]: VF 497.45 ± 9.64; BP 719.72 ± 11.37) and CYP2D6 (IC<sub>50</sub> [µg/mL]: VF 637.15 ± 14.78, BP 588.70 ± 11.01). These results support the potential reuse of <i>O. majorana</i> stems as a sustainable source of bioactive compounds for nutraceutical and health-related applications. |
| format | Article |
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| institution | Kabale University |
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| spelling | doaj-art-8823e1eab5a74913a63cf2873085deee2025-08-20T04:00:55ZengMDPI AGPlants2223-77472025-07-011415226410.3390/plants14152264<i>Origanum majorana</i> Extracts: A Preliminary Comparative Study on Phytochemical Profiles and Bioactive Properties of Valuable Fraction and By-ProductSimone Bianchi0Rosaria Acquaviva1Claudia Di Giacomo2Laura Siracusa3Leeyah Issop-Merlen4Roberto Motterlini5Roberta Foresti6Donata Condorelli7Giuseppe Antonio Malfa8Department of Drug and Health Sciences, University of Catania, Viale A. Doria 6, 95125 Catania, ItalyDepartment of Drug and Health Sciences, University of Catania, Viale A. Doria 6, 95125 Catania, ItalyDepartment of Drug and Health Sciences, University of Catania, Viale A. Doria 6, 95125 Catania, ItalyItalian National Research Council ICB-CNR, Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, Via Paolo Gaifami 18, 95126 Catania, ItalyInstitut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), Mondor Institute for Biomedical Research (IMRB), Faculty of Health, University Paris-Est Créteil, F-94010 Créteil, FranceInstitut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), Mondor Institute for Biomedical Research (IMRB), Faculty of Health, University Paris-Est Créteil, F-94010 Créteil, FranceInstitut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), Mondor Institute for Biomedical Research (IMRB), Faculty of Health, University Paris-Est Créteil, F-94010 Créteil, FranceDepartment of Drug and Health Sciences, University of Catania, Viale A. Doria 6, 95125 Catania, ItalyDepartment of Drug and Health Sciences, University of Catania, Viale A. Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy<i>Origanum majorana</i> L. (<i>O. majorana</i>) (Lamiaceae) is an aromatic Mediterranean plant widely used in food, cosmetics, and traditional medicine due to its aroma and rich content of bioactive compounds. While its leaves and flowers are commonly utilized, lignified stems are often discarded. This study compared hydroalcoholic extracts from the leaves and flowers (valuable fraction, VF) and stems (by-product, BP). Phytochemical analysis revealed qualitatively similar profiles, identifying 20 phenolic compounds, with Rosmarinic acid and Salvianolic acid B as the most and second most abundant, respectively. Antioxidant activity was evaluated in vitro using DPPH (IC<sub>50</sub> [µg/mL]: VF 30.11 ± 3.46; BP 31.72 ± 1.46), H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> (IC<sub>50</sub> [µg/mL]: VF 103.09 ± 4.97; BP 119.55 ± 10.58), and O<sub>2</sub><sup>•−</sup> (IC<sub>50</sub> [µg/mL]: VF 0.71 ± 0.062; BP 0.79 ± 0.070). Both extracts (20 µg/mL) fully restored oxidative balance in hemin-stressed AC16 cardiomyocytes, without altering the expression of catalase, heme-oxygenase 1, superoxide dismutase 2, or ferritin. Anti-inflammatory activity in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages showed that VF (IC<sub>50</sub> 400 µg/mL) reduced <sup>•</sup>NO release to control levels, while BP achieved a ~60% reduction. Cytotoxicity was assessed on cancer cell lines: CaCo-2 (IC<sub>50</sub> [µg/mL]: VF 154.1 ± 6.22; BP 305.2 ± 15.94), MCF-7 (IC<sub>50</sub> [µg/mL]: VF 624.6 ± 10.27; BP 917.9 ± 9.87), and A549 (IC<sub>50</sub> [µg/mL]: VF 720.8 ± 13.66; BP 920.2 ± 16.79), with no cytotoxicity on normal fibroblasts HFF-1 (IC<sub>50</sub> > 1000 µg/mL for both extracts). Finally, both extracts slightly inhibited only CYP1A2 (IC<sub>50</sub> [µg/mL]: VF 497.45 ± 9.64; BP 719.72 ± 11.37) and CYP2D6 (IC<sub>50</sub> [µg/mL]: VF 637.15 ± 14.78, BP 588.70 ± 11.01). These results support the potential reuse of <i>O. majorana</i> stems as a sustainable source of bioactive compounds for nutraceutical and health-related applications.https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/15/2264polyphenolsRosmarinic acidcancersustainabilityinflammationoxidative stress |
| spellingShingle | Simone Bianchi Rosaria Acquaviva Claudia Di Giacomo Laura Siracusa Leeyah Issop-Merlen Roberto Motterlini Roberta Foresti Donata Condorelli Giuseppe Antonio Malfa <i>Origanum majorana</i> Extracts: A Preliminary Comparative Study on Phytochemical Profiles and Bioactive Properties of Valuable Fraction and By-Product Plants polyphenols Rosmarinic acid cancer sustainability inflammation oxidative stress |
| title | <i>Origanum majorana</i> Extracts: A Preliminary Comparative Study on Phytochemical Profiles and Bioactive Properties of Valuable Fraction and By-Product |
| title_full | <i>Origanum majorana</i> Extracts: A Preliminary Comparative Study on Phytochemical Profiles and Bioactive Properties of Valuable Fraction and By-Product |
| title_fullStr | <i>Origanum majorana</i> Extracts: A Preliminary Comparative Study on Phytochemical Profiles and Bioactive Properties of Valuable Fraction and By-Product |
| title_full_unstemmed | <i>Origanum majorana</i> Extracts: A Preliminary Comparative Study on Phytochemical Profiles and Bioactive Properties of Valuable Fraction and By-Product |
| title_short | <i>Origanum majorana</i> Extracts: A Preliminary Comparative Study on Phytochemical Profiles and Bioactive Properties of Valuable Fraction and By-Product |
| title_sort | i origanum majorana i extracts a preliminary comparative study on phytochemical profiles and bioactive properties of valuable fraction and by product |
| topic | polyphenols Rosmarinic acid cancer sustainability inflammation oxidative stress |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/15/2264 |
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