Oregano Young Plants Cultured at Low Temperature Reveal an Enhanced Healing Effect of Their Extracts: Anatomical, Physiological and Cytotoxicity Approach

Background: The germination and early development of <i>Origanum vulgare</i> L. subsp. <i>hirtum</i> (Link) Ietswaart (Greek oregano) were studied to assess the plant’s response to different temperatures. Methods: After germination, seedlings were cultivated in control (25 °C...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Aikaterina L. Stefi, Maria Chalkiadaki, Katerina Dimitriou, Konstantina Mitsigiorgi, Dimitrios Gkikas, Danae Papageorgiou, Georgia C. Ntroumpogianni, Dido Vassilacopoulou, Maria Halabalaki, Nikolaos S. Christodoulakis
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-02-01
Series:Metabolites
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2218-1989/15/2/103
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849719657822420992
author Aikaterina L. Stefi
Maria Chalkiadaki
Katerina Dimitriou
Konstantina Mitsigiorgi
Dimitrios Gkikas
Danae Papageorgiou
Georgia C. Ntroumpogianni
Dido Vassilacopoulou
Maria Halabalaki
Nikolaos S. Christodoulakis
author_facet Aikaterina L. Stefi
Maria Chalkiadaki
Katerina Dimitriou
Konstantina Mitsigiorgi
Dimitrios Gkikas
Danae Papageorgiou
Georgia C. Ntroumpogianni
Dido Vassilacopoulou
Maria Halabalaki
Nikolaos S. Christodoulakis
author_sort Aikaterina L. Stefi
collection DOAJ
description Background: The germination and early development of <i>Origanum vulgare</i> L. subsp. <i>hirtum</i> (Link) Ietswaart (Greek oregano) were studied to assess the plant’s response to different temperatures. Methods: After germination, seedlings were cultivated in control (25 °C) and cold (15 °C) chambers with standard growth parameters. Comparative analyses of plant morphology and leaf anatomy were conducted to identify structural modifications induced by different temperatures. Physiological evaluations, including photosynthetic pigment measurements, phenolic content, and antioxidant activity, were performed to assess differences between the plants grown under the two temperature conditions. Methanolic extracts from the leaves were tested for cytotoxicity on MCF-7 breast adenocarcinoma cells and SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells, as well as on nine microbial strains. Additionally, biomarkers from the leaves affected by temperature changes were determined using LC-HRMS/MS analysis. Results: Comparative analyses revealed distinct structural and physiological modifications under cold conditions. The methanolic extracts from plants grown at 15 °C exhibited notably higher cytotoxic activity in both cell lines but demonstrated no activity against microbial strains. The results highlight the influence of low temperature on enhancing the bioactive properties of Greek oregano. Conclusions: The findings provide valuable insights into the environmental adaptability of oregano, demonstrating the impact of low temperature on its bioactive properties. The therapeutic potential of methanolic extracts cultured at 15 °C is imprinted in cytotoxicity in SH-SY5Y and MCF-7 cells and the absence of any activity against microbial strains.
format Article
id doaj-art-79876324ddf84ebaa4af9f8b20869b06
institution DOAJ
issn 2218-1989
language English
publishDate 2025-02-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Metabolites
spelling doaj-art-79876324ddf84ebaa4af9f8b20869b062025-08-20T03:12:05ZengMDPI AGMetabolites2218-19892025-02-0115210310.3390/metabo15020103Oregano Young Plants Cultured at Low Temperature Reveal an Enhanced Healing Effect of Their Extracts: Anatomical, Physiological and Cytotoxicity ApproachAikaterina L. Stefi0Maria Chalkiadaki1Katerina Dimitriou2Konstantina Mitsigiorgi3Dimitrios Gkikas4Danae Papageorgiou5Georgia C. Ntroumpogianni6Dido Vassilacopoulou7Maria Halabalaki8Nikolaos S. Christodoulakis9Section of Botany, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15784 Athens, GreeceDivision of Pharmacognosy and Natural Products Chemistry, Department of Pharmacy, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15784 Athens, GreeceSection of Botany, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15784 Athens, GreeceSection of Botany, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15784 Athens, GreeceSection of Botany, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15784 Athens, GreeceSection of Botany, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15784 Athens, GreeceSection of Botany, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15784 Athens, GreeceSection of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15784 Athens, GreeceDivision of Pharmacognosy and Natural Products Chemistry, Department of Pharmacy, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15784 Athens, GreeceSection of Botany, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15784 Athens, GreeceBackground: The germination and early development of <i>Origanum vulgare</i> L. subsp. <i>hirtum</i> (Link) Ietswaart (Greek oregano) were studied to assess the plant’s response to different temperatures. Methods: After germination, seedlings were cultivated in control (25 °C) and cold (15 °C) chambers with standard growth parameters. Comparative analyses of plant morphology and leaf anatomy were conducted to identify structural modifications induced by different temperatures. Physiological evaluations, including photosynthetic pigment measurements, phenolic content, and antioxidant activity, were performed to assess differences between the plants grown under the two temperature conditions. Methanolic extracts from the leaves were tested for cytotoxicity on MCF-7 breast adenocarcinoma cells and SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells, as well as on nine microbial strains. Additionally, biomarkers from the leaves affected by temperature changes were determined using LC-HRMS/MS analysis. Results: Comparative analyses revealed distinct structural and physiological modifications under cold conditions. The methanolic extracts from plants grown at 15 °C exhibited notably higher cytotoxic activity in both cell lines but demonstrated no activity against microbial strains. The results highlight the influence of low temperature on enhancing the bioactive properties of Greek oregano. Conclusions: The findings provide valuable insights into the environmental adaptability of oregano, demonstrating the impact of low temperature on its bioactive properties. The therapeutic potential of methanolic extracts cultured at 15 °C is imprinted in cytotoxicity in SH-SY5Y and MCF-7 cells and the absence of any activity against microbial strains.https://www.mdpi.com/2218-1989/15/2/103<i>Origanum vulgare</i> L. subsp. <i>hirtum </i>(Link) Ietswaartchillingleaf methanolic extractsoxidative stressSH-SY5Y cellsMCF-7 cells
spellingShingle Aikaterina L. Stefi
Maria Chalkiadaki
Katerina Dimitriou
Konstantina Mitsigiorgi
Dimitrios Gkikas
Danae Papageorgiou
Georgia C. Ntroumpogianni
Dido Vassilacopoulou
Maria Halabalaki
Nikolaos S. Christodoulakis
Oregano Young Plants Cultured at Low Temperature Reveal an Enhanced Healing Effect of Their Extracts: Anatomical, Physiological and Cytotoxicity Approach
Metabolites
<i>Origanum vulgare</i> L. subsp. <i>hirtum </i>(Link) Ietswaart
chilling
leaf methanolic extracts
oxidative stress
SH-SY5Y cells
MCF-7 cells
title Oregano Young Plants Cultured at Low Temperature Reveal an Enhanced Healing Effect of Their Extracts: Anatomical, Physiological and Cytotoxicity Approach
title_full Oregano Young Plants Cultured at Low Temperature Reveal an Enhanced Healing Effect of Their Extracts: Anatomical, Physiological and Cytotoxicity Approach
title_fullStr Oregano Young Plants Cultured at Low Temperature Reveal an Enhanced Healing Effect of Their Extracts: Anatomical, Physiological and Cytotoxicity Approach
title_full_unstemmed Oregano Young Plants Cultured at Low Temperature Reveal an Enhanced Healing Effect of Their Extracts: Anatomical, Physiological and Cytotoxicity Approach
title_short Oregano Young Plants Cultured at Low Temperature Reveal an Enhanced Healing Effect of Their Extracts: Anatomical, Physiological and Cytotoxicity Approach
title_sort oregano young plants cultured at low temperature reveal an enhanced healing effect of their extracts anatomical physiological and cytotoxicity approach
topic <i>Origanum vulgare</i> L. subsp. <i>hirtum </i>(Link) Ietswaart
chilling
leaf methanolic extracts
oxidative stress
SH-SY5Y cells
MCF-7 cells
url https://www.mdpi.com/2218-1989/15/2/103
work_keys_str_mv AT aikaterinalstefi oreganoyoungplantsculturedatlowtemperaturerevealanenhancedhealingeffectoftheirextractsanatomicalphysiologicalandcytotoxicityapproach
AT mariachalkiadaki oreganoyoungplantsculturedatlowtemperaturerevealanenhancedhealingeffectoftheirextractsanatomicalphysiologicalandcytotoxicityapproach
AT katerinadimitriou oreganoyoungplantsculturedatlowtemperaturerevealanenhancedhealingeffectoftheirextractsanatomicalphysiologicalandcytotoxicityapproach
AT konstantinamitsigiorgi oreganoyoungplantsculturedatlowtemperaturerevealanenhancedhealingeffectoftheirextractsanatomicalphysiologicalandcytotoxicityapproach
AT dimitriosgkikas oreganoyoungplantsculturedatlowtemperaturerevealanenhancedhealingeffectoftheirextractsanatomicalphysiologicalandcytotoxicityapproach
AT danaepapageorgiou oreganoyoungplantsculturedatlowtemperaturerevealanenhancedhealingeffectoftheirextractsanatomicalphysiologicalandcytotoxicityapproach
AT georgiacntroumpogianni oreganoyoungplantsculturedatlowtemperaturerevealanenhancedhealingeffectoftheirextractsanatomicalphysiologicalandcytotoxicityapproach
AT didovassilacopoulou oreganoyoungplantsculturedatlowtemperaturerevealanenhancedhealingeffectoftheirextractsanatomicalphysiologicalandcytotoxicityapproach
AT mariahalabalaki oreganoyoungplantsculturedatlowtemperaturerevealanenhancedhealingeffectoftheirextractsanatomicalphysiologicalandcytotoxicityapproach
AT nikolaosschristodoulakis oreganoyoungplantsculturedatlowtemperaturerevealanenhancedhealingeffectoftheirextractsanatomicalphysiologicalandcytotoxicityapproach