This study evaluated the insecticidal potential of essential oils (EOs) obtained from Origanum onites, Lavandula angustifolia, and Foeniculum vulgare against Agonoscena pistaciae. The phytochemical content of the essential oils was determined by GC-MS. Furthermore, molecular docking analyses were performed to theoretically investigate the inhibitory properties of the dominant compounds against the detoxification enzymes glutathione S-transferase (GST) and cytochrome P450. In the GC-MS analysis, the dominant components were identified as follows: O. onites (60.51% carvacrol, 9.73% linalool, and 7.53% cis-cymene); L. angustifolia (25.44% linalyl acetate, 23.47% linalool, and 7.37% cis-cymene); and F. vulgare (49.41% anethol, 14.62% p-anisaldehyde, and 9.35% estragol). As a result of molecular docking, carvacrol showed the strongest binding affinity to both enzymes, surpassing the reference inhibitors metronidazole and coniferil ferulate, achieving docking scores of -5.40 kcal/mol and -5.70 kcal/mol, respectively. Visualization of molecular interactions revealed strong hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic contacts between carvacrol and the enzyme active sites. Biological analyses confirmed that carvacrol-rich O. onites EOs caused significantly higher mortality rates in A. pistaciae larvae compared to other applications and controls. These results demonstrate that carvacrol derived from O. onites is a promising natural insecticide targeting detoxification enzymes in pests and offering a sustainable alternative to synthetic pesticides.

Oral fungal infections resulting from non-albicans Candida species and new opportunistic yeasts are increasingly linked to antifungal resistance, especially in individuals with periodontal disease. Bioactive compounds may serve as potential alternatives; nevertheless, there is a paucity of research that has comprehensively assessed their antifungal and antibiofilm efficacy against clinically defined oral yeast isolates. This study aimed to (i) describe the variety and antifungal resistance profiles of oral yeasts isolated from women with various periodontal diseases; (ii) assess four ethanolic extracts of Aseer medicinal plants (Foeniculum vulgare, Solanum incanum, Forsskaolea tenacissima, and Abutilon pannosum) for their antifungal and antibiofilm properties; and (iii) correlate phytochemical composition determined by GC-MS with biological activity. Oral samples (saliva and subgingival plaque) were collected from 50 female participants with documented periodontal parameters. Fungal isolates were identified using morphological, biochemical (VITEK 2), and molecular (ITS rDNA sequencing) methods. Testing for antifungal susceptibility was performed according to CLSI guidelines. Plant extracts were evaluated for antifungal activity (disk diffusion, MIC, MFC), antibiofilm activity (crystal violet assay and light microscopy), and phytochemical profiling (GC-MS). Fungal growth was detected in 37 of 50 samples (74%), yielding six yeast species: Nakaseomyces glabratus (40.5%), Candida tropicalis (18.9%), C. parapsilosis (13.5%), Pichia kudriavzevii (10.8%), Rhodotorula mucilaginosa (8.1%), and Aureobasidium melanogenum (8.1%). N. glabratus demonstrated reduced susceptibility to fluconazole. A. pannosum and F. vulgare exhibited the strongest in vitro antifungal activity (inhibition zones up to 19.2 mm; MIC 0.19-0.78 mg/mL; MFC 0.39-1.56 mg/mL), significantly greater than F. tenacissima (p < 0.0001). Sub-MIC concentrations of A. pannosum reduced C. tropicalis biofilm biomass by 59.6%. GC-MS analysis identified methyl salicylate (20.3-40.2%) and cyclohexanol derivatives (8.0-23.2%) as major constituents. Antifungal activity showed a trend in relation to methyl salicylate content (R2 = 0.78). However, because only four plant extracts were included, this relationship should be interpreted as a descriptive observation rather than a statistically testable association. Ethanolic extracts of Abutilon pannosum and Foeniculum vulgare demonstrated significant in vitro antifungal and antibiofilm activity against clinically relevant oral yeasts, including azole-tolerant Nakaseomyces glabratus. The observed trends between phytochemical composition and biological activity warrant further investigation into their potential as adjunct therapeutic agents for oral fungal infections. Further studies are required to confirm these results and see if they can be used in therapeutic settings.

The natural and organic poultry production industry is growing. This is in response to rising consumer demand for poultry products that are natural and organic. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of dietary inclusion of cinnamon and fennel powder as natural feed additives on growth performance and carcass traits of broilers. A total of 210 day-old chicks were randomly assigned to five dietary treatments. The control group (T1) was provided with a standard diet containing no fennel seed powder (FNSP) and cinnamon bark powder (CNBP), while the other groups received a standard diet plus 0.75% FNSP (T2), standard diet plus 1.75% FNSP (T3), standard diet plus 0.75% CNBP (T4), and standard diet plus 1.75% CNBP (T5). Feed intake data were taken daily, while the body weight change was measured at a weekly interval. At the end of the experiment, three chickens from each treatment were picked and slaughtered for carcass traits measurements. The results revealed that broilers fed a diet containing 1.75% CNBP achieved significantly (p = 0.036) higher final body weight gain of 3243 ± 58.88 g, average daily weight gain of 70.88 ± 1.20 g and the best feed conversion ratio (p = 0.033) of 1.44 ± 0.03 at the end of the experiment when compared to the control group. Additionally, significantly higher dressed (p = 0.039) and eviscerated (p = 0.008) weights were found in 1.75% CNBP compared to the control. Furthermore, broilers in CNBP at 1.75% and 0.75% had significantly higher (p = 0.001) breast, thigh, and whole leg weight over the control and other treatments, except for the 1.75% FNSP group, which had significantly higher breast weight than the control. In general, incorporation of cinnamon powder in broilers' diet, particularly at a level of 1.75%, showed significant improvement in overall growth performance and carcass traits.

Apiaceae plants are widely utilized as spices across the globe. Fennel, a prominent member of this family, has been previously shown to possess appetite-enhancing properties, suggesting that other Apiaceae spices may exhibit similar effects. Herein, we investigated the appetite-enhancing effects of essential oils extracted from aniseed, caraway seeds, and cumin seeds. All three essential oils significantly increased food intake in mice. Analysis revealed that the major active compounds were (i) trans-anethole and pseudoisoeugenyl 2-methylbutyrate in aniseed oil, (ii) d-limonene and d-carvone in caraway oil, and (iii) cuminaldehyde in cumin oil. Intriguingly, the effective doses of d-carvone and trans-anethole were elevated when administered in combination with d-limonene and pseudoisoeugenyl 2-methylbutyrate, respectively. This newly identified modulatory effect, driven by co-occurring compounds, suggests a complex interaction between the constituents. Furthermore, the side chain structures of terpenoids were found to influence the effects analogously to those of phenylpropanoids, thereby suggesting the existence of common or similar sites of action within the mice olfactory system.

The reuse of treated wastewater (TWW) in agriculture is attracting increasing interest as a sustainable strategy to address water scarcity, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions. However, its use can pose risks due to the potential presence of emerging contaminants of concern, such as personal care products and pharmaceuticals.

Evidence on the effect of medicinal herbs on body weight and composition are conflicting. This study aimed to investigate the association between the frequency of medicinal herbs consumption and anthropometric indices in patients undergoing coronary angiography. This cross-sectional study was conducted among 662 subjects aged 35-75 years who were referred for coronary angiography to Afshar Hospital, Yazd, Iran. Anthropometric indices were evaluated using standard tools, and the frequency of medicinal herbs consumption was assessed by a predefined questionnaire. Weekly or daily consumption of saffron was positively associated with abdominal obesity based on waist circumference and also body mass index (BMI, P < 0.05). In addition, A higher intake of foeniculum vulgare and sumac was associated with increased waist circumference and percentage of visceral fat, respectively (P < 0.05). However, weekly or daily consumption of cinnamon was associated with a lower visceral fat percentage (P = 0.01). Body fat percentage was significantly lower in subjects who did not consume Carum carvi L and Matricaria chamomilla (P < 0.05). Furthermore, a weekly/daily intake of Mentha pulegium L and Matricaria chamomilla, and Monthly intake of Lavandula angustifolia were associated with a higher percentage of skeletal muscle (P < 0.05). Medicinal herbs consumption might be associated with anthropometric indices. Future prospective studies are recommended to confirm these findings.

This study was designed to investigate the effects of psyllium husk powder (PHP) combined with micronized cold-pressed hemp seed cake (MCPHSC), which is put forward as an alternative to phosphates, on the quality attributes and in vitro digestibility of reduced-phosphate frankfurters. The results showed that the co-addition of PHP and MCPHSC induced a significant reduction in cooking loss and a marked improvement of emulsion stability in reduced-phosphate frankfurters (P < 0.05). Moreover, an appropriate PHP concentration (1.0%, w/w) in conjunction with MCPHSC notably increased the hardness, springiness, and chewiness of the frankfurters (P < 0.05), a result corroborated by microstructure observations. Additionally, the incorporation of PHP and MCPHSC drove the transition from α-helix to β-sheet structures in reduced-phosphate frankfurters. Sensory evaluation further revealed that reduced-phosphate frankfurters supplemented with 1.0% PHP and 3.0% MCPHSC attained higher sensory scores than the control group (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the addition of 1.0% PHP and 3.0% MCPHSC led to a significant increase in the in vitro protein digestibility of reduced-phosphate frankfurters (P < 0.05). The findings from our study suggest that the combination of PHP and MCPHSC is a practicable strategy for creating reduced-phosphate frankfurters that have improved textural properties and in vitro digestibility.

NS3 protein is highly conserved among all the four antigenically different serotypes of Dengue virus (DENV) and has an indispensable role in viral replication. Fifty-four molecules identified using GC-MS analysis from methanolic seeds extract of Foeniculum vulgare were subjected to ADMET profiling using SwissADME and ProTox 3.0 webserver. Twenty-eight molecules followed all Lipinski's rules and were predicted to cross blood brain barrier (BBB) with high gastro-intestinal absorption. Docking with NS3 protein of DENV-4 revealed that molecule 12 (Fenchyl acetate) and molecule 14 (Dillapiol) were involved in stabilizing hydrogen bond formation with Arg387, Thr408 and Val544, Arg599, respectively. These conserved residues are directly involved in RNA binding and tunnel formation to accommodate RNA. Docked complexes were investigated at atomic level for their structural stability through MD simulations. RMSD and RMSF trajectory of NS3-molecule 12 showed minimum structural deviation as compared to NS3 protein and NS3-molecule 14 complex. PCA of NS3-molecule 12 complex showed decreased collective motion occupying similar but reduced conformational space compared to NS3 and NS3-molecule 14 complex. Rg plot of NS3-molecule 12 complex showed comparatively lower dissociation and more rigid structure. PCA and FEL analysis revealed that NS3-molecule 12 complex had comparatively more energetically favored and thermodynamically stable conformational state. Total Gibbs free energy and contribution of different interactions calculated using MMGBSA further validated the docking results. These findings provide a foundation for F. vulgare derived therapeutic interventions against Dengue fever. Thus, Fenchyl acetate showing no predicted toxicity and Dillapiol, within its predicted LD50 concentration can be further studied for experimental validation.

Water scarcity and rising fertilizer costs challenge the sustainable cultivation of medicinal and aromatic plants in arid regions. This study evaluated the interactive effects of irrigation intervals (21, 28, and 35 days) and potassium sources (potassium sulfate and feldspar) and rates on growth, yield, essential oil productivity, and nutrient status of fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.) over two consecutive seasons in Middle Egypt. Extending irrigation intervals significantly increased soil electrical conductivity while reducing soil-available potassium, whereas soil pH, organic matter, and bulk density remained unaffected. Frequent irrigation (21 days) markedly enhanced vegetative growth, yield components, seed yield, and essential oil yield, producing up to 69.7 L ha-1 oil compared with 50.5-52.0 L ha-1 under 35-day intervals. Potassium fertilization significantly improved plant performance across all irrigation regimes, with potassium sulfate at 120 kg K2O ha-1 consistently producing the highest plant height (≈173 cm), number of umbels (≈45 plant-1), 1000-seed weight (≈13 g), seed yield, and oil yield. Potassium sulfate at 120 kg K2O ha-1 consistently outperformed feldspar, though high-rate feldspar (572 kg K2O ha-1) significantly improved performance over the control, indicating potential as a supplementary source. Extending irrigation to 28 days reduced water application by approximately 23% compared to 21-day intervals, with acceptable yield levels when combined with adequate potassium supply. Potassium application enhanced seed and herb N, P, and K concentrations and mitigated the adverse effects of prolonged irrigation intervals, particularly under moderate water stress (28 days). Significant irrigation × potassium interactions confirm that optimal potassium nutrition improved water-use efficiency and reproductive performance. Overall, integrating frequent or moderately extended irrigation with an adequate potassium supply-especially soluble potassium sulfate-offers an effective strategy to sustain fennel productivity and essential oil yield under water-limited conditions.

This work provides an in vitro assessment of the antibacterial efficacy of ethanolic extracts derived from four medicinal plants historically utilized in the Aseer region (Foeniculum vulgare, Solanum incanum, Forsskaolea tenacissima, and Abutilon pannosum) against cultured oral bacterial isolates obtained from healthy volunteers. Oral samples from a subset of 50 healthy female participants were included in this analysis, yielding independent cultured bacterial isolates. Isolates were identified using morphological and biochemical characterization combined with partial 16S rRNA gene sequencing and included representatives of common oral-associated genera. Antibacterial activity was assessed using agar disk diffusion and broth microdilution assays. Abutilon pannosum and Solanum incanum had lower values of MIC (range of 16-128 µg/mL), whereas Forsskaolea tenacissima had higher values of MIC (maximum to >512 µg/mL) with the tested isolates. Qualitative microscopic observations and crystal violet biofilm staining showed extract-associated varying cellular morphology, aggregation patterns and surface coverage under sub-inhibitory conditions. Representative isolate scanning electron microscopy (SEM) qualitatively validated descriptive cell surface morphology and organization changes. The research presents preliminary in vitro results of inconsistent antibacterial and antibiofilm effects of crude ethanolic extracts of four plants in the Aseer region on a small (n = 13) group of cultured oral bacteria isolates in healthy volunteers, which requires fractionation and further testing.

The development of nontoxic, biodegradable corrosion inhibitors is crucial for sustainable industrial practices. While plant extracts show promise, their mechanistic action on copper in acidic media remains insufficiently explored. In this study, the high anticorrosion performance of fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) seed extract (FVE) on copper in 0.5 M H2SO4 was investigated. Electrochemical analyses (open circuit potential (OCP), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), potentiodynamic polarization (PDP)) demonstrate that FVE acts as a mixed-type inhibitor, achieving 93% efficiency at 500 mg/L by suppressing both anodic dissolution and cathodic reactions. The existence of a protective adsorbed film is evidenced by surface characterization using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Theoretical density functional theory (DFT) calculations further corroborate FVE's adsorption mechanism, indicating strong interaction energies and electron-donating ability from key phytocompounds. The integrated theoretical and experimental findings support FVE as a feasible and eco-sustainable candidate for traditional corrosion inhibitors.