Iron nano-complexes and iron chelate improve biological activities of sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.)

In this study, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) essential oil (EO) in response to different Fe sources (Fe-arginine, Fe-glycine, and Fe-histidine nano-complexes and Fe-EDDHA) were examined. EO samples were predominantly constituted by the phenylpropanoid methyl chavicol (53–89.5%). Application of Fe nano-complexes significantly increased the occurrence and concentration of sesquiterpenes, while decreased the content of oxygenated monoterpenes. Antioxidant activity of basil EOs was evaluated using free radical 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl, Nitric oxide, H2O2 and Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances scavenging assays, and in all assays the highest and the lowest activities were recorded in basils supplied with Fe-histidine nano-complex (1.02, 1.62, 2.21, 3.22 mg mL-1) and control (3.89, 4.89, 5.52, 6.79 mg mL-1), respectively. Fe-histidine nano-complex was the most effective treatment to inhibit fungal (C. albicans: 0.058 mg mL-1; A. niger: 0.066 mg mL-1), Gram-negative (E. coli: 0.181 mg mL-1; S. typhimurium: 0.163 mg mL-1) and Gram-positive (B. subtilis: 0.033 mg mL-1; S. aureus: 0.002 mg mL-1) growth. In conclusion, application of iron nano-complexes significantly altered biological and pharmacological characteristics of basil EOs. Our results are quite encouraging since EOs exhibited potent antioxidant effect and antimicrobial activities. •Iron nano-complexes particularly nano [Fe(His)3] and [Fe(Arg)3] modified essential oil components to more sesquiterpenes.•Nano [Fe(His)3] and [Fe(Arg)3] improved antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of basil.•Nano [Fe(His)3] and [Fe(Arg)3] are suggested as new Fe fertilizer sources.