Infrared Treatment Alters the Chemical Profile and In Vitro Bioactivity of Jojoba Oil: Antimicrobial, Biofilm Formation Inhibition and Ovarian Cancer Cell Responses
9 affiliations
- 1Department of Medical Laboratory Science, College of Applied Medical Sciences, University of Ha’il, Hail 55476, Saudi Arabia
- 2Medical and Diagnostic Research Center, University of Ha’il, Hail 55473, Saudi Arabia
- 3Department of Biology, College of Science, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, P.O. Box 84428, Riyadh 11671, Saudi Arabia
- 4Public Health Department, College of Public Health and Health Informatics, University of Ha’il, Hail 55473, Saudi Arabia
- 5Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Al-Baha University, Al-Baha 65779, Saudi Arabia
- 6Basic Sciences Department, College of Science and Health Professions, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh 11671, Saudi Arabia
- 7King Abduallah International Medical Research Center, P.O. Box 3661, Riyadh 11481, Saudi Arabia
- 8Department of Biology, Collage of Science, Jazan University, P.O. Box 114, Jazan 45142, Saudi Arabia
- 9Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Al-Qunfudah 28815, Saudi Arabia
Abstract
Jojoba oil (Simmondsia chinensis) is widely used in cosmetic and pharmaceutical formulations, yet approaches to enhance its biological activity remain insufficiently explored. This study investigated whether infrared (IR) treatment could modify the chemical profile and in vitro biological properties of jojoba oil. A thermal control matched to the IR temperature–time profile was included to separate bulk heating from IR-specific effects. Crude (untreated) and IR-treated oil (30 min, 50 mW/cm2) were characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), followed by evaluation of antimicrobial, antibiofilm, inhibition of protein denaturation, fibroblast scratch-closure, and antiproliferative activity against SK-OV-3 cells. IR treatment altered the FTIR profile and produced substantial changes in the GC-MS-detectable composition, including the detection of a peak tentatively assigned to 9-hexadecenoic acid, 9-octadecenyl ester (27.45% relative peak area), and 9-eicosyne (8.97% relative peak area); these values represent relative chromatographic abundance, not absolute concentrations. Compared with crude oil, IR-treated jojoba oil exhibited two- to fourfold lower minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC), reaching 7.8 µg/mL against Candida albicans, and inhibited Staphylococcus aureus biofilm formation by 96.8%. It also enhanced fibroblast scratch closure (84.1% vs. 67.0%) and showed greater inhibition of protein denaturation (IC50, 4.43 vs. 6.52 µg/mL). Against SK-OV-3 ovarian cancer cells, IR-treated oil reduced the IC50 from 114.5 to 78.7 µg/mL and produced marked G0/G1 accumulation (97.9%). This response was accompanied by increased BAX (3.67-fold) and CASP3 (5.73-fold) expression and decreased BCL2 expression (0.61-fold). Collectively, these findings demonstrate that IR treatment, beyond a matched thermal control, substantially modifies jojoba oil and enhances multiple in vitro biological activities. The novelty is the linkage between IR-induced chemical alteration and functional biological changes, not the mere combination of assays.
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BibTeX
@article{qanash2026infrared,
title = {{Infrared Treatment Alters the Chemical Profile and In Vitro Bioactivity of Jojoba Oil: Antimicrobial, Biofilm Formation Inhibition and Ovarian Cancer Cell Responses}},
author = {Husam Qanash and Aisha M. H. Al-Rajhi and Abdulrahman S. Bazaid and Fahad Almarshadi and Nourah M. Almimoni and Hussam A. Althagafi and Abdullah M. Almotayri and Reham Yahya and Sohaila Fathi El-Hawary and Abdu Aldarhami},
journal = {International Journal of Molecular Sciences},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3390/ijms27219415},
url = {https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/27/21/9415},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Infrared Treatment Alters the Chemical Profile and In Vitro Bioactivity of Jojoba Oil: Antimicrobial, Biofilm Formation Inhibition and Ovarian Cancer Cell Responses
AU - Husam Qanash
AU - Aisha M. H. Al-Rajhi
AU - Abdulrahman S. Bazaid
AU - Fahad Almarshadi
AU - Nourah M. Almimoni
AU - Hussam A. Althagafi
AU - Abdullah M. Almotayri
AU - Reham Yahya
AU - Sohaila Fathi El-Hawary
AU - Abdu Aldarhami
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/22
JO - International Journal of Molecular Sciences
DO - 10.3390/ijms27219415
UR - https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/27/21/9415
AB - Jojoba oil (Simmondsia chinensis) is widely used in cosmetic and pharmaceutical formulations, yet approaches to enhance its biological activity remain insufficiently explored. This study investigated whether infrared (IR) treatment could modify the chemical profile and in vitro biological properties of jojoba oil. A thermal control matched to the IR temperature–time profile was included to separate bulk heating from IR-specific effects. Crude (untreated) and IR-treated oil (30 min, 50 mW/cm2) were characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), followed by evaluation of antimicrobial, antibiofilm, inhibition of protein denaturation, fibroblast scratch-closure, and antiproliferative activity against SK-OV-3 cells. IR treatment altered the FTIR profile and produced substantial changes in the GC-MS-detectable composition, including the detection of a peak tentatively assigned to 9-hexadecenoic acid, 9-octadecenyl ester (27.45% relative peak area), and 9-eicosyne (8.97% relative peak area); these values represent relative chromatographic abundance, not absolute concentrations. Compared with crude oil, IR-treated jojoba oil exhibited two- to fourfold lower minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC), reaching 7.8 µg/mL against Candida albicans, and inhibited Staphylococcus aureus biofilm formation by 96.8%. It also enhanced fibroblast scratch closure (84.1% vs. 67.0%) and showed greater inhibition of protein denaturation (IC50, 4.43 vs. 6.52 µg/mL). Against SK-OV-3 ovarian cancer cells, IR-treated oil reduced the IC50 from 114.5 to 78.7 µg/mL and produced marked G0/G1 accumulation (97.9%). This response was accompanied by increased BAX (3.67-fold) and CASP3 (5.73-fold) expression and decreased BCL2 expression (0.61-fold). Collectively, these findings demonstrate that IR treatment, beyond a matched thermal control, substantially modifies jojoba oil and enhances multiple in vitro biological activities. The novelty is the linkage between IR-induced chemical alteration and functional biological changes, not the mere combination of assays.
SN - 1422-0067
ER -