Phytochemical Analysis and Antibacterial Activity of Achillea coarctata Poir. Essential Oils.

Essential oils obtained from different parts of Achillea coarctata species (inflorescences, stem and leaves and the whole aerial part) collected on four different locations in Serbia have been investigated to evaluate the chemical composition and antibacterial activity of isolated oils. The aim of this study was to determine differences in the chemical composition of essential oils obtained from different plant parts and how different type of substrate as well as different climate conditions affect the chemical composition of essential oils. Oxigenated terpenes were reported to be the major constituents in almost all examinated samples with 1,8-cineole, caryophyllene oxide and cis-cadin-4-en-7-ol identified as dominant compounds. Disk diffusion assay was used to determine antibacterial activity against two Gram-positive (Bacillus subtilis subsp. spizizenii ATCC 6633 and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538) and three Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli ATCC 8739, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 9027 and Salmonella abony ATCC 6017). The obtained results showed that essential oils obtained from A. coarctata exhibit significant antibacterial activity against tested bacteria strains. The best inhibitory effect was observed against S. aureus, while on the other hand P. aeruginosa showed high level of resistance to almost all examined essential oils.

Chemical composition of the essential oils and headspace volatiles of Ferulago sylvatica (Besser) Reichenb. from Serbia.

Chemical composition of the headspace volatiles and essential oils isolated from different parts of Ferulago sylvatica was determined by GC and GC/MS analyses. The results showed that headspace volatiles obtained from the aerial parts and roots were similar regarding the number of identified compounds and main components. However, essential oils obtained from different plant organs showed significant differences in chemical composition. Myrcene was the most abundant component of the inflorescences and shoots volatiles, while α-pinene make up over 50% of the root volatiles. Only three components were identified in the root essential oil with 2,3,6-trimethyl benzaldehyde (92.7%) as the main component. In the shoots sample the terpenoid fractions represented 56% of the oil, unevenly distributed between monoterpenoids and sesquiterpenoids with germacrene D (32.5%) recognized as the main constituent. On the other hand, more than 94% of the inflorescences oils were monoterpenoids with myrcene as the most abundant contributor (29.2%).

Chemical Composition of Volatiles; Antimicrobial, Antioxidant and Cholinesterase Inhibitory Activity of Chaerophyllum aromaticum L. (Apiaceae) Essential Oils and Extracts.

The present study reports the chemical composition of the headspace volatiles (HS) and essential oils obtained from fresh Chaerophyllum aromaticum root and aerial parts in full vegetative phase, as well as biological activities of their essential oils and MeOH extracts. In HS samples, the most dominant components were monoterpene hydrocarbons. On the other hand, the essential oils consisted mainly of sesquiterpenoids, representing 73.4% of the root and 63.4% of the aerial parts essential oil. The results of antibacterial assay showed that the aerial parts essential oil and MeOH extract have no antibacterial activity, while the root essential oil and extract showed some activity. Both of the tested essential oils exhibited anticholinesterase activity (47.65% and 50.88%, respectively); MeOH extract of the root showed only 8.40% inhibition, while aerial part extract acted as an activator of cholinesterase. Regarding the antioxidant activity, extracts were found to be more effective than the essential oils.

Essential Oil Chemical Composition and Headspace Volatiles Profile of Achillea coarctata from Serbia.

This study reports the essential oil composition and headspace volatiles profile of Achillea coarctata Poir. from Serbia. The inflorescences, stems and leaves, and the aerial parts of A. coarctata were analyzed separately. Germacrene D, α-terpineol and 1,8-cineole were the main constituents of the aerial parts essential oil; 1,8-cineole, cis-cadin-4-en-7-ol and α-terpineol were the most dominant compounds in the inflorescence essential oil, while the most abundant components in the stem and leaf oil were germacrene D, cis-cadin-4-en-7-ol and ledol. The percentages of monoterpenoids and sesquiterpenoids in the aerial parts were the same, while there were differences in distribution of these compound classes in inflorescence and stem and leaf essential oils. The major components of the headspace volatiles were the same for aerial parts, inflorescence and stem and leaves: 1,8-cineole, ß-pinene and α-pinene.

Chemical Composition of the Essential Oil from Chaerophyllum temulum (Apiaceae).

The present study reports the chemical composition on the essential oil obtained from fresh roots, stems, inflorescences and fruits of Chaerophyllum temulum. In all samples, except the roots, the most dominant components were sesquiterpene hydrocarbons. (Z)-Falcarinol was the principal constituent of the root essential oils (61.7% at the flowering stage and 62.3% at the fruiting stage). The blossom oil was dominated by (Z,E)-α-famesene (23.4%), (E)-ß-farnesene (9.0%) and germacrene D-4-ol (9%), whereas the oil from the fruit had germacrene D-4-ol (27.6%) as its main compound, accompanied by (Z,E)-α-famesene (13.4%). Germacrene D was the most abundant component of the stem essential oil (38.4% at the flowering stage and 32.5% at the fruiting stage). The obtained results show that the qualitative composition of the oil depends on the part of the plant which is analyzed, while the quantitative composition of the main components depends on the growing stage of the plant.