AromaDb: A Database of Medicinal and Aromatic Plant’s Aroma Molecules With Phytochemistry and Therapeutic Potentials

Abstract

In traditional, herbal medicine, and aromatherapy, use of essential oils and their aroma compounds have been known since long, for the management of various human diseases. The essential oil is a mixture of highly complex, naturally occurring volatile aroma compounds synthesized by medicinal and aromatic plants as secondary metabolites. Essential oils widely used in pharmaceutical, cosmetic, sanitary, food industry and agriculture for their antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, antiparasitic, insecticidal, anticancer, neuroprotective, psychophysiological, and anti-aging activities. Moreover, volatile aroma compounds comprise a chemically diverse class of low molecular weight organic compounds with significant vapor pressure. However, aroma compounds produced by plants, mainly attract pollinators, seed dispersers and provide defense against pests or pathogens. However, in humans, about 300 active olfactory receptor genes are involved to detect thousands of different aroma compounds and modulates expression of different metabolic genes regulating human psychophysiological activity, brain function, pharmacological signaling, and therapeutic potential. Keeping in mind this importance, present database, namely, AromaDb (http://bioinfo.cimap.res.in/aromadb/) covers information of plant varieties/chemotypes, essential oils, chemical constituents, GC-MS profile, yield variations due to agro-morphological parameters, trade data, aroma compounds, fragrance type, and bioactivity details. The database includes 1,321 aroma chemical structures, bioactivities of essential oil/aroma compounds, 357 fragrance type, 166 commercially used plants, and their high yielding 148 varieties/chemotypes. Also includes calculated cheminformatics properties related to identification, physico-chemical properties, pharmacokinetics, toxicological, and ecological information. Also comprises interacted human genes affecting various diseases related cell signaling pathways correlating the use of aromatherapy. This database could be a useful resource to the plant’s growers/producers, an aroma/fragrance industrialist, health professionals, and researchers exploring the potential of essential oils and aroma compounds in the development of novel formulations against human diseases.

Nigella sativa essential oil and its bioactive compounds as resistance modifiers against Staphylococcus aureus

“…EOs are mixtures of volatile aroma compounds synthesized by aromatic plants as secondary metabolites that are responsible for the attraction of pollinators, seed dispersers, and defense against pests or pathogens (Kumar et al, ). Numerous EOs possess antimicrobial activity, and they can enhance the effect of antibiotics in vitro (Bouhdid et al, ).…”

Data on cytotoxicity of plant essential oils in A549 and Detroit 551 cells

“…Essential oils are secondary metabolites produced by plants that are highly aromatic and are a mixture of various components. Essential oils contain numerous monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes and can be obtained from the flowers, leaves, stems, and roots of plants [1] . Essential oils have a variety of applications in several areas, such as preservatives, antioxidants, and perfumes [ 2 , 3 ].…”

Cytostatic effects of plant essential oils on human skin and lung cells

“…Essential oil is a mixture of highly complex, naturally occurring, volatile aroma compounds synthesized in medicinal and aromatic plants as secondary metabolites (1). Essential oils can be extracted from leaves, flowers, and stems by solvent extraction, hydrodistillation, or steam distillation (2).…”

“…In recent years, there has been increasing interest worldwide in the use of alternative/herbal medicines for the prevention and treatment of various illnesses (3). Essential oils are widely used in pharmaceutical, cosmetic, sanitary, food industry, and agriculture for their antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, antiparasitic, insecticidal, anticancer, neuroprotective, psychophysiological, and anti-aging activities (1). However, much of the research into essential oils is still in its early state, and a systematic and rigorous approach to the study of biological activities of potential phytotherapeutics has only been initiated in recent decades.…”