Publications by authors named "Ekaterina-Michaela Tomou"

The drying of medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) is one of the main preservation methods for these products that can prolong their shelf life, if performed properly. The current study aimed to examine the effects of different drying conditions (sun, shade, and oven drying at 42 °C) on the quality characteristics of , , and ; their essential oil (EO) yield; and their biological properties (antioxidant and antibacterial activities). According to the results of the current study, oven drying resulted in faster moisture loss for all investigated species and slightly darker products.

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Essential oils (EOs) are reported to be natural pesticides, but their use to protect crops is very limited due to EOs' high instability and great volatility. Nanovectors represent a very smart alternative, and in this study, EOs from (AEO) and (SEO) were formulated into microemulsions and tested against . The EOs were extracted by steam distillation and analyzed by GC-MS.

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Genus Stachys L. consists of approximately 365 species, distributed mainly in temperate regions. Several members of this genus are widely used in the traditional medicine of different countries worldwide.

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Phytochemical investigation on aerial parts of Lysimachia atropurpurea L. (Myrsinaceae), guided by NMR methods, resulted in the isolation and characterization of three previously undescribed triterpenoid saponins named stralysaponins A-C along with five known compounds. Their structures were elucidated by 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy and HR-ESI-MS.

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Essential oil (EO) of spp. has been widely used for culinary purposes and in perfumery and cosmetics, as well as having beneficial effects on human health. The present study aimed to investigate the quantitative and qualitative variations in EOs in wild-growing and cultivated pairs of samples from members in four sections or three clades, namely L.

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The present study focuses on the chemical composition of the infusions of subsp. from cultivated and wild populations using NMR, LC-DAD, LC-HRESIMS, and GC-MS techniques, to reveal possible differences. Mainly carbohydrates, flavonoids, and phenylethanoid glycosides were detected in the H-NMR spectra of both infusions.

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Medicinal and aromatic plants' properties, still an interesting research area, are attributed to the presence of various specialized products that possess important pharmacological activities. In the present study, six medicinal/aromatic plants (, , , , , and ) were evaluated for their phytochemical and nutritive composition, as well as their biological activities, including antioxidant, antimicrobial, and cytotoxic properties. The results obtained indicate that was rich in proteins and minerals such as N and Mg, while accumulated more K, Na, P, and Ca.

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Background: The consumption of various herbal infusions was and is common in the traditional Mediterranean diet, and apparently are used in many other regions of the world outside of the Mediterranean region. The present study aimed to investigate the consumption of herbal infusions/decoctions and tea in a nationally representative sample of Greece, considering also their Planetary use.

Methods: 3951 adult participants of the HYDRIA Survey (2013-2014) were included from the 13 regions of Greece.

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Quercetin (QUE) is a flavonol that has recently received great attention from the research community due to its important pharmacological properties. However, QUE's low solubility and extended first-pass metabolism limit its oral administration. This review aims to present the potential of various nanoformulations in the development of QUE dosage forms for bioavailability enhancement.

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Over the last years, extracts were shown to improve memory. However, their potential to promote the generation of new neurons, starting with the neuronal differentiation of neural stem cells, remains unexplored. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the neurogenic effects of different infusions in neural stem and precursor cells and their impact on cell viability.

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Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. As a result, pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical interventions modifying risk factors for CVDs are a top priority of scientific research. Non-pharmaceutical therapeutical approaches, including herbal supplements, have gained growing interest from researchers as part of the therapeutic strategies for primary or secondary prevention of CVDs.

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Essential oils are extensively used in the food, cosmetic, perfume, pharmaceutical, and agrochemical industries due to their aroma and pharmacological properties. The Lamiaceae family is mainly represented by widely well-known medicinal and aromatic plants that produce essential oil. Over the years, Sideritis L.

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In recent years, climate change continuously concerns the scientific community about its effects on agrobiodiversity, food safety and human health. Remodeling to sustainable diets and lifestyles is proved to be the most radical need to tackle this grave phenomenon. The goals of this commentary are to present the Greek traditional Mediterranean diet as a principal sustainable diet, to emphasize the role of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants in Greece as indispensable components of this healthy dietary pattern, and to discuss the potential results of climate change at their phytochemical content.

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The present study focuses on the polar constituents and biological effects of the methanol extract and the infusion of wild Boiss. from Samos island (Greece), as well as on the nutritional and mineral contents of this plant. The total phenolic content and antioxidant activity were examined.

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In recent years, the use of species as bioactive agents is increasing exponentially. The present study aimed to investigate the chemical constituents, as well as the anti-ageing potential of the cultivated Heldr. The chemical fingerprinting of the ethyl acetate residue of this plant was studied using 1D and 2D-NMR spectra.

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Food poisoning is a common cause of illness and death in developing countries. Essential oils (EOs) could be effective and safe natural preservatives to prevent and control bacterial contamination of foods. However, their high sensitivity and strong flavor limit their application and biological effectiveness.

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Sideritis cypria Post is an endemic and endangered species of Northern Cyprus. The overall aim of the present study was to evaluate the total phenolic content, the antioxidant, the cytotoxic and the antimicrobial activity of the methanol extract obtained from the aerial parts of cultivated S. cypria.

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The genus Genista L. (family Fabaceae, subfamily Papilionoideae), with its cosmopolitan distribution, has attracted the human interest since ancient times, as it is used in folk medicine and mainly in the Mediterranean area for the treatment of respiratory diseases, rheumatic disorders, diabetes and ulcer, while it is also well known for its yellow pigment. The chemical composition of the Genista species revealed the presence of more than 108 flavonoids.

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The present review highlights that spp. consist an important source of bioactive phytochemicals and exemplifies the uncharted territory of this genus for new research studies.

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species are considered as important medicinal plants with numerous health benefit effects. In continuation of our research on the Greek species, the chemical profile of the aerial parts of cultivated Griseb. has been explored.

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species are recognized as important medicinal plants and their commercial demand is continuously on the rise both in the European and in the global market. Consequently, the cultivation of species has been occurred to successfully meet the need for mass production of high-quality plant material. The present study was undertaken in order to investigate the chemical composition of cultivated .

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Article Synopsis
  • - Diterpenes, particularly siderol from the
  • L.
  • genus, exhibit various biological activities; the study focused on isolating siderol from
  • Heldr.
  • using dichloromethane extract and NMR spectroscopy for rapid identification of bioactive compounds.
  • - NMR analysis identified eleven compounds in the extract, including siderol as the main component and various other metabolites such as fatty acids, phytosterols, triterpenoids, and flavonoids.
  • - Siderol's antiproliferative effects were evaluated using the MTT assay on human cancer cell lines, showing strongest activity against colon cancer cells (DLD1), suggesting its potential as an anticancer agent.
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Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Melissa officinalis L., commonly known as lemon balm, is one of the most well known edible and medicinal plants of the Lamiaceae family. It is quoted in almost all known medical treatises, from Antiquity up to modern era, such as Corpus Hippocraticum, Dioscorides' De Materia Medica and later on in medieval medical manuscripts and Pharmacopoeias.

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Introduction: Over the last decades, the demand of medicinal plants has vastly increased. The health trend and social changes are leading to a growing demand for herbal products, as medicines and in particular as food supplements. Various cultivations of medicinal plants have been developed in order not only to respond on this enormous market, but also to offer high-quality products.

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