Noura S. Ahmed

Endocrine disruptors are molecules that can interfere with the proper functioning of the endocrine system and lead to harmful effects in living organisms. This review focuses on the impact of synthetic fragrances, which are commonly found in personal care and household products, on the endocrine system. The article discusses the different types of...

The red palm weevil (RPW), Rhynchophorus ferrugineus, poses a significant threat to date palms globally, heavily relying on symbiotic microbes for various physiological and behavioral functions. This comprehensive study delves into the intricate dynamics of RPW gut microbiota, revealing a diverse microbial community consisting of seven genera and e...

The oral microbiome is a diverse and complex ecosystem essential for maintaining oral and systemic health. Our study is the first to define the oral microbial community in Egyptian young adults and investigate the effects of natural antimicrobials on the oral microbiome. SuperMint (SM) is a proprietary blend of peppermint, Japanese mint, bergamot m...

Endocrine disruptors are molecules that can interfere with the proper functioning of the endocrine system and lead to harmful effects in living organisms. This review focuses on the impact of synthetic fragrances, which are commonly found in personal care and household products, on the endocrine system. The article discusses the different types of...

The oral microbiome is a diverse and complex ecosystem essential for maintaining oral and systemic health. Our study is the first to define the oral microbial community in Egyptian young adults and investigate the effects of natural antimicrobials on the oral microbiome. SuperMint (SM) is a proprietary blend of peppermint, Japanese mint, bergamot m...

Dysregulation of energy balance leading to obesity is a significant risk factor for cardiometabolic diseases such as diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and atherosclerosis. In rodents and a number of other vertebrates, feeding has been shown to induce a rapid rise in the intestinal levels of N -acyl-ethanolamines (NAEs) and the chronic con...

Carrier oils are used with essential oils to dilute and enhance skin penetration. They are composed of fatty acids, triglycerides, monoterpenes, and sesquiterpenes and are added to reduce potency and odor. Carrier oils have pharmaceutical applications and reduce cytotoxicity. Solvent extraction is a common practice in the production of industrial-s...

Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench is a medicinal plant commonly used for the treatment of upper respiratory tract infections, the common cold, sore throat, migraine, colic, stomach cramps, and toothaches and the promotion of wound healing. Based on the known pharmacological properties of essential oils (EOs), we hypothesized that E. purpurea EOs may c...

Blue lotus, also known as Nymphaea caerulea (Nymphaeaceae), is a water lily found globally in lakes and rivers. With its long history of use in Egyptian culture, blue lotus has been associated with spiritual rituals and health benefits. Nowadays, blue lotus is still consumed as a tea or tincture to induce relaxation and heightened spiritual awarene...

Leaves of Holodiscus dumosus were obtained from a wild-growing plant in southern Idaho. The leaf essential oil was obtained by hydrodistillation (0.151% yield) and analyzed by gas chromatography (GC-MS, GC-FID, and chiral GC-MS). The major components in the leaf oil were geraniol (17.4%), germacrene B (8.9%), (E)-β-caryophyllene (6.1%), α-cadinol (...

Grindelia squarrosa is an arid lands herb that has been used in Native American traditional medicine, is a potential source of pharmacologically active compounds, and has been explored as a source of biofuel. The purpose of this work was to examine the essential oil composition of G. squarrosa from southern Idaho. Gas chromatographic methods reveal...

The genetic variant A2 β-casein integrates the casein protein group in milk and has been often associated with positive health outcomes. Therefore, this review explores the present understanding of A2 β-casein, including detection methods and the market trends for dairy from A2 milk. Also, the interaction of A2 β-casein with αs1-casein and κ-casein...

Myoporum sandwicense A. Gray (naio) is one of the characteristic trees of Hawaiian montane–subalpine mesic forests. In this study, lab-distilled oils of M. sandwicense leaves, wood, and twigs growing on the island of Hawaii, as well as industrially produced wood oils, were characterized by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The lab-disti...

Cymbopogon species essential oil (EO) carries significant importance in pharmaceuticals, aromatherapy, food, etc. The chemical compositions of Cymbopogon spp. Viz. Cymbopogon winterianus (citronella) Cymbopogon citratus (lemongrass), and Cymbopogon martini (palmarosa) were analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS), enantiomeric distr...

ellow rabbitbrush (Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus) is native to the Great Basin of NorthAmerica and the plant was part of the traditional medicine of Native Americans in theregion. There has been very little previous work on essential oils of Chrysothamnus, andno reports on C. viscidiflorus essential oil. Therefore, the purpose of this work was toeval...

Background: Spanish sage ( Salvia officinalis subsp . lavandulifolia [Vahl] Gams) is historically an important medicinal plant with a myriad of uses. Methods: In this work, 11 S officinalis subsp. lavandulifolia essential oils (EOs) from Spain were prepared by steam distillation and characterized by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and...

Introduction: Vitex doniana is used in traditional medicine for treatment of several ailments, including conjunctivitis, skin rashes due to measles or chickenpox, respiratory infections, and abdominal disorders and diarrhea. Methods: The leaf essential oil of V. doniana from southwestern Nigeria was obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by gas...

Citrus essential oils are routinely adulterated because of the lack of regulations or reliable authentication methods. Unfortunately, the relatively simple chemical makeup and the tremendous price variations among Citrus varieties encouraged the interspecies adulteration of citrus oils. In this study, a sensitive UPLC-MS/MS method for the quantitat...

Western flower thrips ( Frankliniella occidentalis ; Thysanoptera: Thripidae), or WFT, are a global pest of commercial crops, particularly those grown in greenhouses. Current management recommendations often involve judicious use of pesticides to which WFT have evolved multiple resistance phenotypes. Essential oils (EOs) have shown promise as a les...

Sweet Birch (Betula lenta) has several economic and medicinal uses. Very little is known about the chemical composition of B. lenta. In this study, the volatile compositions of the bark of B. lenta from authentic and commercial sources were assessed by gas chromatography-mass spectrom-etry (GC-MS) and gas chromatography-flame ionization detection (...

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria are the primary source of one of the growing public health problems that requires global attention, indicating an urgent need for new antibiotics. Marine ecosystems are characterized by high biodiversity and are considered one of the essential sources of bioactive chemical compounds. Bacterial associates of marine inve...

Entada abyssinicaA. Rich.(Fabaceae) is found in different part of Tropical Africa including Nigeria. The plant is reported to be used traditionally in treatment of several ailments and diseases, which include gonorrhea, coughs, abdominal pains, and miscarriage among others. Also, some of the isolated compounds from the crude extracts of the plant i...

Cholesterol is essential for normal human health, but elevations in its serum levels have led to the development of various complications, including hypercholesterolemia (HC). Cholesterol accumulation in blood circulation formsplaques on artery walls and worsens the individuals' health. To overcome this complication, different pharmacological and n...

Zingiber officinale Roscoe rhizome plays a vital role in food flavoring as well as utilization in folk medicine. Nepal is categorized among the leading countries of Z. officinale rhizome production and export. Mature Z. officinale rhizome collection is based on the major production sites within Nepal, but we are currently unaware of the chemical co...

Frankincense is an aromatic terpenoid oleo-gum resin produced by trees in the genus Boswellia. It has been used for medicinal and religious purposes for millennia, and is today an important component in perfume and aromatherapy. The resin of Boswellia frereana is especially prized, and has been found to contain a high proportion of monoterpenes. Ho...

Cinnamomum camphora L. is grown as an ornamental plant, used as raw material for furniture , as a source of camphor, and its essential oil can be used as an important source for perfume as well as alternative medicine. A comparative investigation of essential oil compositions and antimi-crobial activities of different tissues of C. camphora was car...

Lannea egregia (Anacardiaceae) and Emilia sonchifolia (Asteraceae) are plants used in traditional medicine in southwestern Nigeria. The essential oils from the leaves of L. egregia and E. sonchifolia were obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Both essential oils were dominated by sesquiterpenoids. The m...

Even though several plants can improve the female reproductive function, the use of herbs, herbal preparations, or essential oils during pregnancy is questionable. This review is focused on the effects of some essential oils and their constituents on the female reproductive system during pregnancy and on the development of the fetus. The major conc...

Leaves of Afraegle paniculata were collected from southwestern Nigeria and hydrodistilled to give an essential oil in 0.56 % yield. The essential oil was analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and was dominated by sesquiterpenoids. The major components in the leaf essential oil were α-copaene (20.1 %), (E)-caryophyllene (15.8 %), δ-cadine...

The stem bark and leaves of Daniellia oliveri were obtained from two sites, Batsari and Zurmi, in Nigeria. Leaves of Leptoderris micrantha were obtained from Agbagi, Nigeria. Essential oils of these plants were obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The major components in the bark essential oil of D. ol...

Curcumin, a yellow polyphenolic pigment from the Curcuma longa L. (turmeric) rhizome, has been used for centuries for culinary and food coloring purposes, and as an ingredient for various medicinal preparations, widely used in Ayurveda and Chinese medicine. In recent decades, their biological activities have been extensively studied. Thus, this rev...

Gut microbes play vital roles in host health and disease. A number of commensal bacteria have been used as vectors for genetic engineering to create living therapeutics. This review highlights recent advances in engineering gut bacteria for the treatment of chronic diseases such as metabolic diseases, cancer, inflammatory bowel diseases, and autoim...

The Burseraceae is an important family of resin-producing trees and shrubs, which have yielded biologically active essential oils. Boswellia dalzielii and Canarium schweinfurthii are members of the family that are used in West African traditional medicine for a variety of ailments. The leaf essential oils of B. dalzielii have been obtained from 2 d...

Haematostaphis barteri Hook. f. is one of the aromatic plants for which there is no information on the essential oil composition. Hydrodistillation of leaf and stem bark of H. barteri essential oils were characterized using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Antimicrobial activity of the essential oils were carried out using 14 pathogens. The le...

The oleoresin essential oils of Liquidambar formosana have potential therapeutic benefits. However, current research on L. formosana oleoresin essential oil is still in its early stages, and its chemotypic characterization is undefined. For better leveraging of plant resources and application of the essential oil, we collected 25 L. formosana oleor...

Black pepper (Piper nigrum) is historically one of the most important spices and herbal medicines and is now cultivated in tropical regions worldwide. The essential oil of black pepper fruits has shown a myriad of biological activities and is a commercially important commodity. In this work, five black pepper essential oils from the eastern coastal...

Algae are potential sources for different industrial products. However, biofuel production from algae still needs to reach valuable economical approaches. Select algae and optimize culture conditions considered the main challenges for biofuel production. Traditional batch cultures' techniques are time and labor-consuming. PDMS-based Microfluidics i...

Adverse alterations in the composition of the gut microbiota have been implicated in the development of obesity and a variety of chronic diseases. Re-engineering the gut microbiota to produce beneficial metabolites is a potential strategy for treating these chronic diseases. N-acyl-phosphatidylethanolamines (NAPEs) are a family of bioactive lipids...

Frankincense is an aromatic oleogum resin that has been traded for thousands of years for medicine and incense and is today frequently distilled into essential oils for aromatherapy and perfume. A new species of frankincense, Boswellia occulta Thulin, DeCarlo, & S.P. Johnson, was recently described from Somaliland (northern Somalia), but pure essen...

Frankincense, the oleogum resin from members of Boswellia, has been used as medicine and incense for thousands of years, and essential oils derived from frankincense are important articles of commerce today. A new source of frankincense resin, Boswellia dalzielii from West Africa has been presented as a new, alternative source of frankincense. In t...

Biodiesel is an eco-friendly renewable fuel that can be derived from microalgae. Maximization of biomass and lipid productivities are considered the main challenges for algal biodiesel production. Since conventional batch cultures are time-, space-, and reagent-consuming with many restrictions to apply many replicates, microfluidic technology has r...

The angiosperm species of mainly tropical, often aromatic, trees and occasionally shrubs with flaking bark, some containing resin ducts in the inner bark, can be found in the order of Sapindales in the Burseraceae family. The most well-known genera that are found in the Bursereae tribe are Bursera, Boswellia, and Commiphora; those found in the Cana...

The current fossil fuel reserves are not sufficient to meet the increasing demand and very soon will become exhausted. Pollution, global warming, and inflated oil prices have led the quest for renewable energy sources. Algal biofuels represent a potential source of renewable energy. Algae, as the third generation feedstock, are suitable for biodies...

Frankincense, an oleoresin produced by Boswellia species, has historical medicinal and religious significance, and is today used extensively for its essential oil. Boswellia dalzielii, a species found in West Africa, is one of the few frankincense species for which there is no information on the oleoresin essential oil. In order to correct this def...

Frankincense, the oleo-gum-resin of Boswellia trees, has been an important religious and medicinal element for thousands of years, and today is used extensively for essential oils. One of the most popular frankincense species is Boswellia sacra Flueck. (syn. Boswellia carteri Birdw.) from Somalia and Somaliland. Recent increases in demand have led...

Curcuma species have been cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions in Asia, Australia, and South America for culinary as well as medicinal applications. The biological activities of Curcuma have been attributed to the non-volatile curcuminoids as well as to volatile terpenoids. Curcuma essential oils have demonstrated a wide variety of pharma...

Obesity increases the risk for cardiometabolic diseases. N-acyl phosphatidylethanolamines (NAPEs) are precursors of N-acylethanolamides, which are endogenous lipid satiety factors. Incorporating engineered bacteria expressing NAPEs into the gut microbiota retards development of diet induced obesity in wild-type mice. Because NAPEs can also exert an...

Members of Citrus L. (Rutaceae) are evergreen shrubs or small trees cultivated all over the world. The genus that includes the volatile secondary metabolites from fruit peel, leaf, and flower oils is Citrus. Citrus flowers are famous for their sweet, pleasant, and highly desirable scent. The color and odor of Citrus flowers are major contributors i...

Members of the genus Curcuma L. have been used in traditional medicine for centuries for treating gastrointestinal disorders, pain, inflammatory conditions, wounds, and for cancer prevention and antiaging, among others. Many of the biological activities of Curcuma species can be attributed to nonvolatile curcuminoids, but these plants also produce...

Citrus fruits have been a commercially important crop for thousands of years. In addition, Citrus essential oils are valuable in the perfume, food, and beverage industries, and have also enjoyed use as aromatherapy and medicinal agents. This review summarizes the important biological activities and safety considerations of the essential oils of swe...

Conradina (Lamiaceae) is a small genus of native United States (US) species limited to Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee and Kentucky. Three species of Conradina are federally listed as endangered and one is threatened while two are candidates for listing as endangered. The purpose of the present review is to highlight the recent advances in...

Traditional herbal medicines play an important role in the health maintenance in developing countries, and higher plants continue to be promising sources of new medicines. In this work, we have extracted and screened six Nigerian medicinal plants for biological activity. Chloroform extracts from the aerial parts of Aristolochia ringens, the bark of...

Nanopore-based technologies are highly adaptable supports for developing label-free sensor chips to characterize lipid bilayers, membrane proteins and nucleotides. We utilized a single nanopore chip to study electrophysiology of epithelial Na+ channel (ENaC) incorporated in supported lipid membrane (SLM). An isolated nanopore was developed inside t...

Engineering the gut microbiota to produce specific beneficial metabolites represents an important new potential strategy for treating chronic diseases. Our previous studies with bacteria engineered to produce N-acyl-phosphatidylethanolamines (NAPEs), the immediate precursors of the lipid satiety factors N-acyl-ethanolamides (NAEs), found that colon...

Garlic, Alliumsativum, is broadly used around the world for its numerous culinary and medicinal uses. Wild garlic, Allium vineale, has been used as a substitute for garlic, both in food as well as in herbal medicine. The present study investigated the chemical compositions of A. sativum and A. vineale essential oils. The essential oils from the bul...

Supported lipid bilayers (SLBs) are widely used in biophysical research to probe the functionality of biological membranes and to provide diagnoses in high throughput drug screening. Formation of SLBs at below phase transition temperature (Tm) has applications in nano-medicine research where low temperature profiles are required. Herein, we report...

Food intake induces synthesis of N-acylphosphatidylethanolamines (NAPEs) in the intestinal tract. While NAPEs exert leptin-like (leptogenic) effects including reduced food intake and weight gain, the mechanisms by which NAPEs induce these leptogenic effects remain unclear. One key question is whether intestinal NAPEs act directly on cognate recepto...

The leaf essential oil of Otostegia fruticosa subsp. schimperi (Lamiaceae) was obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by gas chromatography – mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The major components in the leaf oil were τ-cadinol (9.3%), β-caryophyllene (8.8%), and bornyl formate (5.2%) as well as two unidentified diterpenoids (12.7% and 9.4%, respectiv...

Ocotea species present economic importance and biological activities attributed to their essential oils (EOs) and extracts. For this reason, various strategies have been developed for their conservation. The chemical compositions of the essential oils andmatKDNA sequences ofO. caudata,O. cujumary, andO. caniculatawere subjected to comparison with d...

Background: Ocimum forskolei and Teucrium yemense (Lamiaceae) are used in traditional medicine in Yemen. Methods: The chemical composition, antimicrobial, antioxidant and cytotoxic activities of the essential oils isolated from the leaves of Ocimum forskolei Benth. (EOOF) and two different populations of Teucrium yemense Deflers., one collected fro...

The essential oil from the aerial parts of Centella asiatica, collected from Kirtipur, Nepal, was obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The essential oil was dominated by sesquiterpene hydrocarbons, including (E)-β-farnesene (26.5%), α-humulene (20.9%), and (E)-caryophyllene (13.3%). The essenti...

The bark of Ruyschia phylladenia was collected from Monteverde, Costa Rica, and extracted with acetone. Bioactivity-directed chromatographic separation of the crude acetone bark extract of R. phylladenia led to isolation and identification of lupeol, betulinic acid, and isofraxidin. Lupeol and betulinic acid showed in-vitro cytotoxic activity to MC...

Essential oils (EO) from leaves and branches of Nectandra puberula Schott (Nees) and from leaves of N. cuspidata Nees & Mart. were obtained by hydrodistillation and their chemical compositions determined by gas chromatography - mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The main compounds identified from N. puberula EO were apiole (22.2%), β-caryophyllene (15.1%),...