Biomolecular analyses enable new insights into ancient Egyptian embalming.

The ability of the ancient Egyptians to preserve the human body through embalming has not only fascinated people since antiquity, but also has always raised the question of how this outstanding chemical and ritual process was practically achieved. Here we integrate archaeological, philological and organic residue analyses, shedding new light on the practice and economy of embalming in ancient Egypt. We analysed the organic contents of 31 ceramic vessels recovered from a 26th Dynasty embalming workshop at Saqqara.

Two new eudesman-4α-ol epoxides from the stem essential oil of from Côte d'Ivoire.

The investigation of the stem essential oil of (DC.) Sch. Bip.

Essential oil of the malagasy grass Elionurus tristis Hack. contains several undescribed sesquiterpenoids.

Essential oils (EOs) obtained from aerial parts and roots of Elionurus tristis were investigated by GC, GC-MS, pc-GC and NMR. Both aerial parts and roots EOs contained common molecules such as α-pinene, camphene, trans-α-bergamotene and calarene. Moreover, we identified several unusual sesquiterpenes and four undescribed compounds, 7-epi-khusian-2-ol, 4,8-di-epi-acorone, 2-epi-ziza-5-en-2-ol and antsorenone.

Integrated comprehensive two-dimensional gas-chromatographic and spectroscopic characterization of vetiveryl acetates: Molecular identifications, quantification of constituents, regulatory and olfactory considerations.

Vetiveryl acetate is a common ingredient of the perfume industry highly prized by perfumers for its crisp vetiver note and thus often used in high-end perfume compositions. Vetiveryl acetate is currently manufactured from vetiver oil by means of various industrial processes that result in the conversion of the main vetiver alcohols into their corresponding acetates. Despite being used for decades as perfume ingredient, vetiveryl acetate has barely been studied in the past, therefore its chemical composition is poorly documented.

Towards a complete characterisation of guaiacwood oil.

Guaiacwood oil is a common perfume ingredient used in modern compositions for its suave woody-rosy scent. This essential oil is a byproduct of the timber industry obtained by hydrodistillation of the heartwood of Bulnesia sarmientoi, a tree native from Latin America. Despite being widely used in perfumery, guaiacwood oil has been poorly described in the past.

New Pinane Derivatives Found in Essential Oils of Calocedrus decurrens.

The main objective of this study was to determine the chemical composition of essential oils (EOs) obtained from leaf, old branches, and young branches of a coniferous species acclimated to Corsica. The analytical investigation was conducted by GC(RI), GC-MS, pc-GC, and NMR. leaf, old branches, and young branches EOs contained α-pinene (11.

Sustainable Manufacture of a Valuable Fragrance Ingredient: Lipase-Catalyzed Acylation of Vetiver Essential Oil and Chemoselectivity between Sesquiterpene Alcohols.

A lipase-catalyzed acylation reaction of crude Haitian vetiver essential oil was studied as an alternative to chemical processes for the manufacture of an industrially relevant fragrance ingredient. A competitive process that involved a recyclable immobilized lipase at 10 % w/w was developed and used up to the kilogram scale and quantitatively delivered the target product with good productivity (up to 90 g L  h ). With the support of comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC×GC-MS), it was found that the enzymatic reaction exhibited a high chemoselectivity in favor of primary sesquiterpene alcohols.

Revisiting the Chemistry of Guaiacwood Oil: Identification and Formation Pathways of 5,11- and 10,11-Epoxyguaianes.

Guaiacwood oil from Bulnesia sarmientoi Lorentz ex. Griseb is a common natural ingredient of the perfume industry used in both domestic and luxury fragrances for its highly appreciated woody-rosy odor, as well as its excellent fixative properties. Despite its long and traditional use as a perfume ingredient, guaiacwood oil has not been extensively studied.

Direct immersion solid-phase microextraction with gas chromatography and mass spectrometry for the determination of specific biomarkers of human sweat in melted snow.

To provide a reliable tool for investigating diffusion processes of the specific components of the human odor 3-hydroxy-3-methylhexanoic acid and 3-methyl-3-sulfanylhexan-1-ol through the snowpack, we developed and optimized an analytical method based on direct immersion solid-phase microextraction followed by gas chromatography with mass spectrometry. Direct immersion solid-phase microextraction was performed using polyacrylate fibers placed in aqueous solutions containing 3-hydroxy-3-methylhexanoic acid and 3-methyl-3-sulfanylhexan-1-ol. After optimization, absorption times of 120 min provided a good balance to shorten the analysis time and to obtain suitable amounts of extractable analytes.

Peak-bridges due to in-column analyte transformations as a new tool for establishing molecular connectivities by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC×GC-MS) has been shown to permit for the unprecedented chromatographic resolution of volatile analytes encompassing various families of organic compounds. However, peak identification based on retention time, two-dimensional mapping, and mass spectrometric fragmentation only, is not a straightforward task yet. The possibility to establish molecular links between constituents is of crucial importance to understand the overall chemistry of any sample, especially in natural extracts where biogenetically related isomeric structures are often abundant.

Multidimensional analysis of cannabis volatile constituents: identification of 5,5-dimethyl-1-vinylbicyclo[2.1.1]hexane as a volatile marker of hashish, the resin of Cannabis sativa L.

The volatile constituents of drug samples derived from Cannabis sativa L. were investigated by means of headspace solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME) and gas chromatography techniques (GC-MS, GC×GC-MS). Samples of cannabis herb and hashish showed clear differences in their volatile chemical profiles, mostly resulting from photo-oxidation processes occurring during the transformation of fresh cannabis herb into hashish.

Unravelling the scent of vetiver: identification of character-impact compounds.

Vetiver oil is a highly esteemed basic ingredient of modern perfumery, but the nature of the constituents that really impart its typical and most sought woody-earthy scent has remained controversial. Indeed, vetiver oil is considered as one of the most complex essential oils, being mostly composed of several hundreds of sesquiterpene derivatives with a large structural diversity. Its complexity has hindered the direct identification of its odoriferous components.

Use, analysis, and regulation of pesticides in natural extracts, essential oils, concretes, and absolutes.

Natural extracts used by the fragrance and cosmetics industries, namely essential oils, concretes, resinoids, and absolutes, are produced from natural raw materials. These are often cultivated by use of monoculture techniques that involve the use of different classes of xenobiotica, including pesticides. Because of these pesticides’ potential effect on public health and the environment, laws regarding permitted residual levels of pesticides used in cultivation of raw materials for fragrance and cosmetic products are expected to become stricter.

Qualitative and quantitative analysis of vetiver essential oils by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography and comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography/mass spectrometry.

Vetiver essential oils (VEO) are important raw ingredients used in perfume industry, entering the formula of numerous modern fragrances. Vetiver oils are considered to be among the most complex essential oils, resulting most of the time in highly coeluted chromatograms whatever the analytical technique. In this context, conventional gas chromatography has failed to provide a routine tool for the accurate qualitative and quantitative analysis of their constituents.

Purification of vetiver alcohols and esters for quantitative high-performance thin-layer chromatography determination in Haitian vetiver essential oils and vetiver acetates.

A simple, fast, and efficient High-Performance Thin-Layer Chromatography (HPTLC) method was developed for the simultaneous quantitative determination of alcohols and acetates in Haitian vetiver essential oils (Chryzopogon zizanioides) and its acetylated form. Analytes were separated by using a mixture of n-hexane-chloroform-ethyl acetate (8:6:0.5, v/v/v) as mobile phase under 47% humidity.

Catalytic versatility and backups in enzyme active sites: the case of serum paraoxonase 1.

The origins of enzyme specificity are well established. However, the molecular details underlying the ability of a single active site to promiscuously bind different substrates and catalyze different reactions remain largely unknown. To better understand the molecular basis of enzyme promiscuity, we studied the mammalian serum paraoxonase 1 (PON1) whose native substrates are lipophilic lactones.

Amphilectane diterpenes from Salvia sclarea: biosynthetic considerations.

Salviatrienes A and B, two new diterpenes belonging to the amphilectane/elisabethane family, have been isolated from an extract of clary sage (Salvia sclarea). These molecules are the first representatives of this family to be described from the plant kingdom. This study has led to consideration of the possible enzymatic machinery and biosynthesis pathways within S.

Photolysis of rac-leucine with circularly polarized synchrotron radiation.

Amino acids that pass the RNA machinery in living organisms occur in L-configuration. The question on the evolutionary origin of this biomolecular asymmetry remains unanswered to this day. Amino acids were detected in artificially produced interstellar ices, and L-enantiomer-enriched amino acids were identified in CM-type meteorites.

Composition and biological properties of the volatile oil of Artemisia gorgonum Webb.

The chemical composition of Artemisia gorgonum Webb essential oil from Cape Verde was analyzed by GC and GC/MS. A total of 111 volatile compounds, accounting for 94.9% of the essential oil, were identified by GC and GC/MS.

On the origin of primitive cells: from nutrient intake to elongation of encapsulated nucleotides.

Recent major discoveries in membrane biophysics hold the key to a modern understanding of the origin of life on Earth. Membrane bilayer vesicles have been shown to provide a multifaceted microenvironment in which protometabolic reactions could have developed. Cell-membrane-like aggregates of amphiphilic molecules capable of retaining encapsulated oligonucleotides have been successfully created in the laboratory.

Composition and antioxidant properties of the essential oil of the endemic Cape Verdean Satureja forbesii.

The chemical composition of essential oil from the air-dried aerial parts of Satureja forbesii (Benth.) Briq. from Cape Verde was studied by GC and GC/MS.

Composition, enantiomeric distribution, and antibacterial activity of the essential oil of Achillea ligustica All. from Corsica.

The essential oil of Achillea ligustica from Corsica was investigated by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). A total of 82 compounds representing 94.0% of the oil were tentatively identified.