![]() Microbial infection stimulates inflammatory response, and the proper regulation of this response is crucial to maintain human body homeostasis and health. However, published data are scarce on the antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activities of some common volatile oils obtained from Egypt, such as cumin ( Cuminum cyminum) and caraway ( Carum carvi) oils. The antimicrobial activity of certain volatile oils has been documented in many studies ( De et al., 1999 Hemaiswarya et al., 2008 Badgujar et al., 2014 Saviuc et al., 2015). Natural products were always the backbone for the discovery of new antimicrobial agents. Although penicillin discovery pushed back many aggressive pathogenic bacteria, certain strains evolved and developed powerful resistant mechanisms against most available antibiotics ( Fischbach and Walsh, 2009). Microbial infections can result in life-threatening conditions, resulting in an annual loss of millions of lives. Therefore, volatile oils are widely used as antimicrobial agents with a high safety index and potent activity against a wide array of pathogenic microorganisms. Volatile oils possess significant antiseptic, antibacterial, antiviral, anti-parasitic, antifungal, and insecticidal activities ( Burt, 2004). This activity supports their use in food preservation and for the management of many ailments, such as cancers, and neurodegenerative, cardiovascular, and immune system diseases ( Pourmortazavi and Hajimirsadeghi, 2007). Volatile oils are known for their antioxidant activity due to their free radical scavenging ability. Many preclinical studies documented the antitumor, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antibacterial properties of volatile oils in several animal models and bioassays ( De, 2004 Edris, 2007 Saviuc et al., 2015 Sharifi-Rad et al., 2017). Volatile oils are not only popular and widely used in the perfume industry, but many of them are also generally recognized as safe and used in therapeutics and the food industry. Volatile oils are produced by certain organs of aromatic plants (buds, flowers, leaves, stems, branches, seeds, berries, roots, wood, or bark) and stored in secretory cells or cavities ( Bakkali et al., 2008). Volatile or essential oils are usually referred to as mixtures of volatile hydrocarbons and their oxygenated derivatives with a characteristic scent. The World Health Organization reported that more than three billion human beings depend on traditional remedies, such as herbal drugs and related products, for their primary health care. Our findings suggested that cumin and fennel, common in the Mediterranean diet, hold the potential to be applied for the treatment of neutrophilic inflammatory diseases. The gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis of these oils revealed the presence of estragole and cuminaldehyde as the major components of fennel and cumin volatile oils, respectively. ![]() Both fennel and cumin volatile oils significantly shortened calcium influx recovery time and inhibited phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (p38, JNK, and ERK) expression. The cytotoxic effect and free-radical scavenging effects (ABTS, DPPH) of these oils did not account for the observed effects. ![]() Fennel ( Foeniculum vulgare) and cumin ( Cuminum cyminum) fruits' volatile oils significantly suppressed the activation of human neutrophils, including respiratory burst and the degranulation induced by formyl peptide receptor agonists fMLF/CB and MMK1 in the human neutrophils (IC 50, 3.8–17.2 µg/ml). ![]() Several oils showed anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial potential. The volatile oils of these herbs were screened for various biological activities, including anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, antimicrobial, and antiviral effects. Fennel, cumin, marjoram, lavender, caraway, and anise are the common nutraceuticals that are widely used in the Mediterranean diet. However, their effect on the immune system and neutrophil function is still elusive. Volatile oils from terrestrial plants showed impressive therapeutic effects against disorders of the skin, digestive system, lungs, liver, metabolism, and nervous system. Neutrophilic inflammatory diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), or psoriasis, exert a huge burden on the global health system due to the lack of safe and effective treatments.
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