Mountain savory — a spice that kills bacteria and parasites?

Aim of the study: Satureja montana (SM) is recognized as a species of great pharmacological importance within the large Lamiaceae family and is native to the Balkan region. Traditionally, this plant has been used as a culinary spice, especially in Bulgarian cuisine.

Results: Recent studies indicate that it may be effective in addressing Alzheimer's-type dementia. Depression, anxiety, and cognitive decline, including dementia, are notably linked. Since Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a complex condition, prevention and treatment require strategies that target multiple factors. Conclusions: Satureja montana is considered a potential candidate for preventing and managing various mental health disorders, including dementia.

Aim of the study: Plant species from the Lamiaceae and Asteraceae families have been widely used in Mediterranean traditional medicine for gastrointestinal disorders. They are also known for their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiparasitic, and antiviral properties.

Results: Synergistic interactions were found with linalyl acetate and linalool (present in Lavandula essential oils), linalyl acetate with ρ-cymene or thymol, and combinations of ρ-cymene, γ-terpinene, thymol, and carvacrol (present in Satureja essential oils). Transmission electron microscopy revealed membrane damage, enlarged periplasmic vacuoles, and loss of cytoplasm in trophozoites exposed to γ-terpinene for 1 h. These findings provide phytotherapeutic evidence supporting essential oils from Lavandula, Mentha, Thymus, and Satureja as promising antigiardial agents. Their main components—γ-terpinene, caryophyllene oxide, carvacrol, and thymol—could have potential applications in veterinary parasitology.

Aim of the study: Satureja montana (winter savory) is a medicinal plant traditionally used to treat various disorders, including male sexual dysfunction. In this study, we evaluated the effect of a hydroalcoholic extract of Satureja montana on the copulatory behavior of sexually potent male rats.

Results: When administered acutely at both doses, the extract significantly increased EL and decreased intromission frequency (IF) compared with controls. EL also increased significantly when the extract was administered subacutely every day for 8 consecutive days at a dose of 25 mg/kg. In the multiple ejaculation test, EL values in treated rats were significantly higher than in controls during the first and second sequences; in addition, only rats treated with the extract were able to reach the fourth ejaculation within 30 min. The serum testosterone level was significantly higher in rats treated acutely with Satureja montana at a dose of 50 mg/kg than in controls. Finally, locomotor activity recorded in the open field test was not affected by acute administration of the plant extract.

Aim of the study: Winter savory, Satureja montana, is a medicinal herb used in traditional cuisine to season meat and salads. This study compares conventional extraction methods (hydrodistillation, HD, and Soxhlet extraction, SE) with an alternative method (supercritical fluid extraction, SFE) to identify the best way to obtain bioactive compounds.

Results: The S. montana volatile supercritical fluid extract was tested for controlling the growth of and inactivating Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus cereus, and showed some activity against Botrytis spp. and Pyricularia oryzae. Although some studies have been conducted on S. montana, this is the first report describing the phytochemical analysis and biological properties—namely, the anticholinesterase and antimicrobial activities—of the plant's nonvolatile and volatile supercritical fluid extracts.

Aim of the study: Fresh leafy vegetables are widely consumed for their high nutritional value, but they are also recognized as important carriers of foodborne pathogens. Escherichia coli readily attaches to lettuce surfaces and forms biofilms, helping the bacteria persist and reducing the effectiveness of conventional washing. This study evaluated the antibiofilm activity of dill, basil, winter savory, and peppermint essential oils (EOs) against E.

Results: The examined E. coli isolates mostly showed the rdar morphotype and produced stronger biofilms at 25 °C than at 37 °C. All tested EOs significantly reduced initial bacterial attachment and disrupted existing biofilms in a concentration-dependent manner. Dill EO showed the strongest antibacterial and antibiofilm effects, followed by basil, winter savory, and peppermint EOs. At 2 × MIC, the tested EOs reduced initial bacterial attachment by 74.17–84.63%, while dill EO reduced existing biofilm on polystyrene by 59.90% after 60 min. SEM analysis confirmed extensive disruption of biofilm structure and pronounced damage to bacterial cells following EO treatment. These findings show that essential oils, particularly dill EO, effectively inhibit both the formation and persistence of E. coli biofilms on polystyrene and lettuce leaves, highlighting their potential as natural antibiofilm agents for improving the microbiological safety of fresh produce.

Aim of the study: Medicinal plants and their extracts contain substantial quantities of polyphenols. As metabolically active plant compounds, polyphenols are food components with a wide range of biological activities.

Results: In addition, yarrow extract stimulated the growth of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum 299v. The growth of two Lacticasibacillus rhamnosus strains was not stimulated by the addition of any extract. Our results show that plant extracts rich in polyphenols can influence the growth of microorganisms commonly found in the gut microbiota. For the first time, we demonstrate that extracts of medicinal herbs can stimulate probiotic yeast growth. Together with the suppression of Candida yeasts, this suggests a potential benefit of treatment for diseases associated with fungal dysbiosis.

Aim of the study: As byproducts of essential oil distillation, hydrolates are used in natural cosmetics and biomedicine for their beneficial effects on the skin. However, there is little data on their safety with relevant biological targets, such as human skin cells.

Results: In line with the STITCH database, increased viability may be attributed to the presence of thymol in oregano and thyme hydrolates, and to neral and geranial in lemon balm hydrolate. The proliferative effect of clary sage may be supported by alpha-terpineol, rather than linalool. The main volatile organic compounds (VOCs) associated with cytotoxic effects on fibroblasts were borneol, 1,8-cineole, and terpinene-4-ol. Further research using pure compounds is needed to confirm the roles of VOCs in the observed effects relevant to cosmetics and wound healing.

Aim of the study: This study investigated the potential of high-voltage electrical discharge (HVED), a green, non-thermal extraction technology, for recovering polyphenols from winter savory (Satureja montana L.). Key process parameters, including frequency (40, 70, 100 Hz) and extraction time (1, 5, 15, 30, 45 min), were optimized using water as a solvent and maintaining a constant solid-to-liquid ratio of 1:100 g/mL.

Results: Of the conditions tested, extraction at 70 Hz for 45 min produced the highest polyphenol yield and bioactivity. The use of HVED demonstrated its potential as an efficient and environmentally friendly way to obtain phenolic-rich extracts. In addition, chemometric tools provided useful insights for optimizing extraction conditions and understanding how specific compounds contribute to bioactivity. These results support future applications in clean-label product development and contribute to broader efforts to produce sustainable ingredients for the food, cosmetic, and nutraceutical sectors.