Composition, enantiomeric distribution, and antibacterial activity of the essential oil of Achillea ligustica All. from Corsica

The essential oil of Achillea ligustica from Corsica was investigated by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). A total of 82 compounds representing 94.0% of the oil were tentatively identified. The main constituents were the camphane derivatives, representing >30% (camphor, 21.3%; borneol, 6.2%; bornyl acetate, 3.5%) of the whole oil, and santolina alcohol (19.3%). The enantiomeric distribution of 8 chiral constituents was determined by GC-MS using two enantioselective stationary phases (DIME-beta-CD and Lipodex-E). Racemic santolina alcohol, required for optimization of the enantioselective GC conditions, was prepared by an original two-step synthesis from 2,5-dimethylhexa-2,4-diene. The whole essential oil was tested for its antibacterial activity against a wide range of bacteria using a paper disk method. The results show a promising activity against Streptomyces species.     

Composition and some biological activities of the essential oil of Callicarpa americana (L.)

The essential oil profile of Callicarpa americana was examined. Samples were collected from Lafayette county in north central Mississippi, and GC-MS data and retention indices were used to identify 67 oil components. Humulene epoxide II (13.9%), alpha-humulene (10.0%), 7-epi-alpha-eudesmol (9.4%), beta-pinene (8.8%), and 1-octen-3-ol (8.5%) were the major components of the steam-distilled oil. The oil was selectively toxic toward the cyanobacterium Oscillatoria perornata compared to Oscillatoria agardhii and the green alga Selenastrum capricornutum, with complete growth inhibition at 28.5 microgram/mL. The oil was only mildly phytotoxic and antifungal.     

Composition,quality control,and antimicrobial activity of the essential oil of long-time stored dill (Anethum graveolens L.) seeds from Bulgaria

The essential oil of long-time stored seeds of dill (Anethum graveolens L.) from Bulgaria was analyzed by physicochemical methods, gas chromatography (GC), GC-mass spectrometry (MS) (achiral and chiral phases), and olfactometry, and its antimicrobial activity was tested by using different strains of microorganisms. More than 40 constituents of the essential dill oil, obtained from seeds stored for more than 35 years, could be identified as essential volatiles, responsible for the pleasant fresh (D-limonene) and spicy (D-carvone) odor of a high quality. As aroma impact compounds, D-carvone (50.1%) and D-limonene (44.1%) were found. Antimicrobial testings showed high activity of the essential A. graveolens oil against the mold Aspergillus niger and the yeasts Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida albicans.     

Composition and antifungal activity on soil-borne pathogens of the essential oil of Salvia sclarea from Greece

The hydrodistilled essential oils of the aerial parts of wild-growing Salvia sclarea originated from two localities in Greece were analyzed by GC-MS. Sixty-six compounds, representing 93.26-98.19% of the oils, were identified. Linalyl acetate (19.75-31.05%), linalool (18.46-30.43%), geranyl acetate (4.45-12.1%), and alpha-terpineol (5.08-7.56%) were the main components. The antifungal activity of the oil of one locality and of the main components, linalyl acetate and linalool, was evaluated in vitro against three soil-borne pathogens.     

Composition of the essential oils of Thymus and Origanum species from Algeria and their antioxidant and antimicrobial activities

The composition of the essential oils of Origanum and Thymus species restricted to Algeria and the North Africa region was determined. Antioxidant and antibacterial activities of the isolated essential oils were also determined. The oils of oregano plants were strongly characterized by p-cymene (16.8-24.9%), gamma-terpinene (16.8-24.9%), thymol (8.4-36.0%), and carvacrol (1.1-29.7%), a thymol chemotype for Origanum floribundum and a alpha-terpineol chemotype for Thymus numidicus being described for the first time. The strains of Listeria monocytogenes tested were relatively resistant to the action of essential oils of either Origanum or Thymus species. All essential oils possessed antioxidant activity, but this was dependent on the specific chemical composition and the method employed to determine such activity.     

Composition of essential oil of costmary [Balsamita major (L.) Desf. ] at different growth phases

The essential oils from leaves and flowers of costmary, Balsamita major (L.) Desf. (syn. Chrysanthemum balsamita L.), were analyzed at various phases of plant growth. The highest contents of oil both in leaves and in flowers were determined before full blooming, 1.15 and 1.34% (w/w), respectively. Seventy-eight volatile compounds have been identified in the oils of Balsamita major, of which 58 (19 tentatively, 39 positively) have not been reported in this plant previously. Carvone and alpha-thujone were found to be dominating compounds constituting from 51.8 to 68.0% and from 9.0 to 16.1% in the total oil, respectively. Seasonal variations in the oil compositions were not considerable except for the starting phase (May 25, 1995), when the content of carvone was lower and the content of alpha-thujone and sesquiterpenes higher. The content of sesquiterpenes was approximately 2 times higher in flowers than in the leaves. Absolute amount of most components was highest at the bud formation period.     

Chemical composition and antibacterial activity of essential oils from Thymus spinulosus Ten. (Lamiaceae)

The chemical composition of essential oils from aerial parts of Thymus spinulosus Ten. (Lamiaceae) is reported. Four oils from plants growing in different environmental conditions were characterized by GC and GC-MS methods; the oils seem to indicate a new chemotype in the genus Thymus. Influences of soil and altitude characteristics on the essential oil composition are discussed. The oils showed antibacterial activity against Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus faecalis, Bacillus subtilis, and Bacillus cereus) and Gram-negative (Proteus mirabilis, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimuium Ty2, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) bacteria.     

Chemical composition and antibacterial activity of the essential oil and the gum of Pistacia lentiscus Var. chia

The essential oil and gum of Pistacia lentiscus var. chia, commonly known as the mastic tree, are natural antimicrobial agents that have found extensive uses in medicine in recent years. In this work, the chemical composition of mastic oil and gum was studied by GC-MS, and the majority of their components was identified. alpha-Pinene, beta-myrcene, beta-pinene, limonene, and beta-caryophyllene were found to be the major components. The antibacterial activity of 12 components of mastic oil and the oil itself was evaluated using the disk diffusion method. Furthermore, attempts were made to separate the essential oil into different fractions in order to have a better picture of the components responsible for its antibacterial activity. Several trace components that appear to contribute significantly to the antibacterial activity of mastic oil have been identified: verbenone, alpha-terpineol, and linalool. The sensitivity to these compounds was different for different bacteria tested (Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Bacillus subtilis), which suggests that the antibacterial efficacy of mastic oil is due to a number of its components working synergistically. The establishment of a correlation between the antibacterial activity of mastic oil and its components was the main purpose of this research. Mastic gum was also examined, but it proved to be more difficult to handle compared to the essential oil.     

Composition of the essential oil of Mentha microphylla from the Gennargentu Mountains (Sardinia,Italy)

The essential oil obtained by hydrodistillation of the fresh aerial parts of Mentha microphylla C. Kock (Lamiaceae) collected on the Gennargentu Mountains (Sardinia, Italy) has been investigated by gas chromatography (GC) and GC/mass spectrometry (MS). The main constituents that resulted were pulegone (34.1%), piperitenone oxide (32.9%), and piperitenone (11.3%). The presence of small amounts of compounds such as ethyl hexanoate, 1-octen-3-ol, nonanal, and ethyl 2-methylbutanoate could justify the particular odorous profile of the plant, resembling the aroma of milk and other dairy products such as mozzarella.     

Eine zweiblütige Pflanze beiEranthis hyemalis (L.) Salisb

Zusammenfassung Die Gestaltung der Blütenregion einer spontan aufgetretenen, zweiblütigen Pflanze vom Sternblütigen Winterling,Eranthis hyemalis wird analysiert und beschrieben. Das die Nebenblüte tragende Parakladium entspringt der Achsel des unteren Involukralblattes.

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Eranthis hyemalis (L.)Salisb. with a two-flowered stem

Summary Studies in the flower region of an exceptional spontaneously two-flowered stem of the Winter Aconite,Eranthis hyemalis. The shoot (paracladium) bearing the accessory flower arises from the axil of the outermost leaf of the involucre.

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Eranthis hyemalis (L.)Salisb.

, , ,Eranthis hyemalis. , , .

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Herrn Prof. Dr. Drs. h. c.Hans Stubbe zum 75. Geburtstag gewidmet.

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Ich behalte gemäß Intern. Code, Art. 73 die vonLinné gewählte Schreibung bei, obgleich die klassische Form hiemalis seither weithin zu finden ist (s. aber z. B. Syllabus 1964,Clapham, Tutin andWarburg 1959,Lawalrée 1955).     

Rapid method for simultaneous quantitative determination of four major essential oil components from oregano (Oreganumsp.) and thyme (Thymus sp.) using FT-Raman spectroscopy

A simple and rapid method for the quantitative determination of four major components found in oregano and thyme essential oils is presented. The method correlates the Raman peak intensity in the spectral region from 1800 to 600 cm(-1) and the concentration percentage of each particular constituent in the sample. To achieve accurate quantification results and avoid the risk of overlapping peaks of unknown Raman-active substances in natural essential oils, the peaks must be analyzed. For this purpose, PEAKSOLVE software (Ver. 1.0.5) was used. Unknown samples were measured with the FT-Raman method, and the results were compared to those of the gas chromatographic (GC) analysis. The comparison was made at a confidence level of 99%, and the two methods scored equally in terms of repeatability and accuracy even at the edge of the method specifications. The new method can provide accurate results in very short times once the setup is complete and could be utilized in areas where vast amounts of samples must be analyzed.     

Composition of the essential oil of Citrus tamurana Hort. ex Tanaka (Hyuganatsu)

The composition of the essential oil of Citrus tamurana Hort. ex Tanaka (Hyuganatsu), isolated by the cold-pressing method, was investigated by capillary GC and GC-MS. The effects of harvesting time, degree of freshness, and size of fruits on the composition of Hyuganatsu peel oils were also determined. A total of 126 volatile constituents were confirmed in the Hyuganatsu oils. The Hyuganatsu oils contained hydrocarbons (95.95-96.95%), aldehydes (0.33-0.62%), alcohols (1.91%-2.64%), ketones (0.40-0.62%), esters (0.28-0.39%), oxides (0.04-0.06%), acids (0.01%), and trace amounts of fugenol methyl ether. Monoterpene hydrocarbons were predominant. Limonene (80.35-82.39%), gamma-terpinene (7.71-9.03%), myrcene (2.11-2.28%), linalol (1.37-2.01%), and alpha-pinene (1.17-1.43%) were the most abundant components in Hyuganatsu oils. The principal sesquiterpene hydrocarbon was trans-beta-farnesene (0.60-1.04%), and its content in Hyuganatsu oils was higher than in oils of other citrus fruits. The number of ketones and the content of l-carvone in Hyuganatsu oils were higher than in other citrus oils.     

Composition and antimicrobial activity of the essential oils of five taxa of Sideritis from Greece

The chemical compositions of the essential oils obtained from the aerial parts of five taxa of Sideritis were analyzed using various GC-MS techniques. A total of 99 different compounds was identified, and significant differences (qualitative and quantitative) were observed between the samples. The in vitro antimicrobial activity of the essential oils against six bacteria and three fungi is also reported.     

Biological activity and chemical composition of the essential oil from Jamaican Hyptis verticillata Jacq

The chemical composition of the essential oil obtained by hydrodistillation from the aerial parts of Hyptis verticillata Jacq. was elucidated by a combination of GC and GC-MS analyses. The oil was dominated by the sesquiterpenoids cadina-4,10(15)-dien-3-one (15.1%) (1) and aromadendr-1(10)-en-9-one (squamulosone) (30.7%) (2). The oil exhibited chemosterilant activities against the cattle tick, Boophilus microplus Canest., and toxic action against adult Cylas formicarius elegantulus Summer, the most destructive pest of sweet potato (Ipomoea species).     

Antioxidant and repellent activities of the essential oil from Colombian Triphasia trifolia (Burm. f.) P. Wilson

The chemical composition of essential oils isolated from aerial parts of Triphasia trifolia (Burm. f.) P. Wilson was analyzed using hydrodistillation by GC-MS. The main constituents found were β-pinene (64.36%), (+)-sabinene (8.75%), hexadecanoic acid (6.03%), α-limonene (4.24%) and p-cymene (2.73%). The essential oil from T. trifolia shows high antioxidant potential (94.53%), an effect that is comparable with ascorbic acid (96.40%), used as standard. In addition, these oils had high repellent effects on the insect Tribolium castaneum Herbst (99% ± 1) at 0.2 μL/cm(2) after 2 h of exposure.     

Composition and seasonal variation of the essential oil from leaves and peel of a Cretan lemon variety.

The essential oil of leaves and peel from the Cretan variety Zambetakis (Citrus limon) was obtained by steam distillation with a Clevenger apparatus. The essential oil was subjected to GC-MS analysis, and 35 substances were identified. The main component in both essential oils was limonene. beta-Pinene, myrcene, neral, geranial, neryl acetate, geranyl acetate, and beta-caryophyllene have been identified in the leaf oil. The peel oil contained gamma-terpinene, beta-pinene, myrcene, neral, and geranial. The quantification of volatile substances was based on the internal standard method, using octyl acetate as internal standard, and expressed in milligrams per kilogram of the essential oil. The high contents of neral and geranial were indicative of the high quality of both essential oils. The aroma profile and quantitative variations among the essential oil components were measured at six different time intervals over a period of greater than one year. Differences between the components of lemon leaves and peel were observed.     

Study on the antiinflammatory activity of essential oil from leaves of Cinnamomum osmophloeum

The leaf essential oil from indigenous cinnamon (Cinnamomum osmophloeum Kaneh.) was investigated by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and 21 compounds were identified. The major constituents of leaf essential oil were the monoterpenes 1,8-cineole (17.0%) and santolina triene (14.2%) and the sesquiterpenes spathulenol (15.7%) and caryophyllene oxide (11.2%). In the antiinflammatory activity assay, we demonstrated that the essential oil has a higher capacity to inhibit proIL-1beta protein expression induced by LPS-treated J774A.1 murine macrophage. At dosages of 60 microg/mL, essential oil clearly inhibited proIL-1beta protein expression. Furthermore, a dose of 60 microg/mL of essential oil was effectively inhibitory for IL-1beta and IL-6 production but not for TNF-alpha, suggesting that essential oil was bioactive in antiinflammation in vitro. This study is the first to report antiinflammatory activity of extracts obtained from the leaf essential oil of C. osmophloeum.     

Chemical composition and antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of the essential oil and methanol extract of Hippomarathrum microcarpum (Bieb.) from Turkey

Hippomarathrum microcarpum grows wild in eastern Anatolia, Turkey, and is a plant utilized as food by people. In this study, the in vitro antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of the essential oil and methanol extract from H. microcarpum and its essential oil composition were investigated. The essential oil, which has bornyl acetate, caryophyllene oxide, and beta-caryophyllene as its main components, exhibited activity against eight bacteria, nine fungi, and a yeast, Candida albicans, with minimum inhibitory concentration values ranging from 62.50 to 125 muL/mL; the methanol extract showed weak activity. The antioxidant activity of these extracts was assessed by the beta-carotene bleaching test and the 1,1'-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging test. The inhibition of linoleic acid oxidation was very weak for both extracts tested. The inhibition percentages were found to be 22.9 and 33.5% for methanol and essential oil, respectively, at the concentration of 2 g/L. The oil scavenged DPPH at higher concentrations (IC50 = 10.69 +/- 0.05 mg/mL), but the methanol extract exhibited no activity. The total phenolic content of the methanol extract was found to be 4.7 +/- 0.1%.     

Production of yarrow (Achillea millefolium L.) in Norway: essential oil content and quality

In 1996, the production of Achillea millefolium L. at different locations in Norway was investigated with regard to the developmental stage. The oil content differed greatly between the vegetative stage (0.13%) and the stage of full bloom (0.34%). Changes in the composition of yarrow essential oil were found to be related to maturation of the plant, with increasing amounts of monoterpenes in relation to the sesquiterpene. However, a clear trend could be detected only for the monoterpenic compounds with increasing levels of alpha- and beta-pinene and alpha-thujone and decreasing levels of sabinene, borneol, and bornyl acetate. Previously reported as major compounds, chamazulene and germacrene D could be found only in insignificant amounts. A solid-phase microextraction (SPME) procedure was applied for screening of the terpenic composition. Sesquiterpenic compounds such as beta-bisabolene, alpha-bisabolol, and delta-cadinene were detected in substantial amounts by SPME in contrast to the steam-distilled samples.     

Uruguayan essential oil. 12. Composition of Nova and Satsuma mandarin oils

The composition of the laboratory-prepared essential oils from Uruguayan Nova and Satsuma mandarins has been studied. The volatile fraction was analyzed by HRGC and HRGC/MS (quadrupole); 79 and 73 components were identified in Nova and Satsuma mandarin oils, respectively. The linear retention indices were calculated for almost all identified components on two different stationary phases. The enantiomeric distribution of beta-pinene, sabinene, limonene, linalool, and alpha-terpineol was studied by multidimensional gaschromatography (MDGC). Polymethoxylated flavones, present in the nonvolatile residue, were analyzed by normal-phase HPLC.