• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.92-94
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• 2005

The flavonoids kaempherol and epicatechin, and a proanthocyanidin fraction were isolated from the seed of allspice (Pimenta dioica). Their structures were determined by chemical and spectral analyses. Antioxidant activities of kaempherol, epicatechin and the proanthocyanidin fraction were tested using the reaction with the stable radical diphenyl-p-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and exhibited IC/sub 50/ values of 7.83, 4.27 and 2.92 g/mL, respectively. These results demonstrate that allspice proanthocyanidins and flavonoids might act as effective antioxidants.

• Korean journal of food and cookery science
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.106-112
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• 1997

The effect of low concentrations of allspice (Pimenta dioica L.) in culture broth as an antibacterial agent against Escherichia coli 0157:H7 and Staphylococcus aureus 196E was tested at 35,5 and -20$^{\circ}C$. Tryptic soy broth (TSB) containing 0∼2% (w/v) of allspice was inoculated with 10$\^$5/∼10$\^$6/ cells/$m\ell$ of E. coli and S. aureus and incubated at each temperature. The growth of E. coli was not inhibited at 0.1∼1.0% allspice and growth occured at 2％ allspice but only after a prolonged lag period. Growth of S. aureus was inhibited with increasing concentration of allspice at 35$^{\circ}C$. Growth of S. aureus occured at the presence of 0.1∼0.3% allspice but the viability of S. aureus at 0.5∼2.0% allspice was decreased during storage at 35$^{\circ}C$. During refrigerated storage at 5$^{\circ}C$, inhibition of E. coli and S. aureus was increased with the progress of time and increasing spice concentration. During frozen storage at -20$^{\circ}C$, antibacterial activity of allspice against E. coli was increased with increasing storage time and spice concentration while that activity against S. aureus was effective during early period of storage. There was no major changes in population of S. aureus in TSB with different concentration of spice frozen at -20$^{\circ}C$. Viable counts of E. coli and S. aureus at 0.l％ of allspice was less than that of control during frozen storage.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.363-370
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• 2016

Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae (Psa) causes bacterial canker disease in kiwifruit. Antibacterial activity of plant essential oils (PEOs) originating from 49 plant species were tested against Psa by a vapor diffusion and a liquid culture assays. The five PEOs from Pimenta racemosa, P. dioica, Melaleuca linariifolia, M. cajuputii, and Cinnamomum cassia efficiently inhibited Psa growth by either assays. Among their major components, estragole, eugenol, and methyl eugenol showed significant antibacterial activity by only the liquid culture assay, while cinnamaldehyde exhibited antibacterial activity by both assays. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of estragole and cinnamaldehyde by the liquid culture assay were 1,250 and 2,500 ppm, respectively. The MIC of cinnamaldehyde by the vapor diffusion assay was 5,000 ppm. Based on the formation of clear zones or the decrease of optical density caused by these compounds, they might kill the bacterial cells and this feature might be useful for managing the bacterial canker disease in kiwifruit.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.315-321
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• 2010

Malassezia furfur is an important causal factor for seborrheic dermatitis. Nowadays, the drugs available to treat this fungal infection are few. Several studies have documented the biological activity of essential oils. However, its antifungal properties are not completely understood, especially its anti-Malassezia activity. The aim of this study were to evaluate the effect of the plant essential oils on the growth of M. furfur using disk diffusion method and analyze by Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) most active essential oils. In first screening, the 17 plant essential oils have possesses inhibitory activity against M. furfur at 2 mg/mL. Among the plant essential oils, oil of Citrus auranifoli was most active against M. furfur and its activity showed dose dependency. This anti-malassezial activity was high than that of itraconazole at 2 mg/mL. Oil of Citrus auranifolia also was phytochemically examined by GC-MS analysis, its main constituents were identified as limonene, ${\gamma}$-terpinene and terpinolene. It can be concluded that essential oils of Citrus auranifolia may have interesting applications to control fungal-derived diseases.