Composition and phytotoxic activity of the essential oils of two invasive plant species

Alien species have been entering Europe for centuries. Their numbers have risen exponentially. Invasive species have multiple negative ecological, economic and human-health impacts. Chemicals produced by alien species are allelopathic to native species which are less resistant to them. This effect probably enables alien species to spread to new areas [1]. The possible use of natural compounds in weed management has been well documented [2,3].                Our research focused on two invasive species–Heracleum mantegazzianum Sommier et Levier (Apiaceae, giant hogweed) and Impatiens parviflora DC. (Balsaminaceae, small balsam). Giant hogweed produces a large number/amount of chemical compounds, such as coumarins and esters [4]. Many groups of active compounds have been isolated from different species of the genus Impatiens [5]. However, only few reports are available concerning the volatile constituents of both species.                The aim of the present experiment was to determine the quantitative and qualitative properties of the essential oils (EOs) hydrodistilled from the two invasive species. The phytotoxic effect was tested on selected dicotyledonous plant species. Different biological effects were evaluated in different concentrations of EOs

Composition of Essential Oils from Roots and Aerial Parts of Carpesium divaricatum, a Traditional Herbal Medicine and Wild Edible Plant from South-East Asia, Grown in Poland

Carpesium divaricatum Sieb. and Zucc. has long been used both as traditional medicine and seasonal food. The most extensively studied specialized metabolites synthesized by the plant are sesquiterpene lactones of germacrane-type. Low-molecular and volatile terpenoids produced by C. divaricatum, however, have never been explored. In this work, compositions of essential oils distilled from roots and shoots of C. divaricatum plants, cultivated either in the open field or in the glasshouse have been studied by GC-MS-FID supported by NMR spectroscopy. The analyses led to the identification of 145 compounds in all, 112 of which were localized in aerial parts and 80 in roots of the plants grown in the open field. Moreover, remarkable differences in composition of oils produced by aerial and underground parts of C. divaricatum have been observed. The major volatiles found in the shoots were: α-pinene (40%), nerol (4%) and neryl-isobutyrate (3%), whereas predominant components of the root oil were 10-isobutyryloxy-8,9-epoxythymyl-isobutyrate (29%), thymyl-isobutyrate (6%) and 9-isobutyryloxythymyl-isobutyrate (6%). In the analyzed oils, seventeen thymol derivatives were identified. Among them eight compounds were specific for roots. Roots of the plants cultivated in the glasshouse were, in general, a poor source of essential oil in comparison with those of the plants grown in the open field. Chemophenetic relationships with other taxa of the Inuleae-Inulineae were also briefly discussed

Bioprospecting of the <i>Telekia speciosa</i>: Uncovering the Composition and Biological Properties of Its Essential Oils

The essential oils (EOs) of Telekia speciosa, a perennial plant native to southeastern Europe and Asia Minor, were analyzed for their composition and biological properties. T. speciosa is an invasive plant in Poland; however, its beauty prompts gardeners to cultivate the plants. T. speciosa serves as a valuable source of nectar and pollen for honey bees. Our results revealed more than 150 compounds in the flower, leaf, and root EOs. Major constituents found in the essential oils from the roots included isoalantolacton (46.2%) and from the flowers nerol (11.9%), while from the leaves, they included (E)-nerolidol (10.1%). T. speciosa flower EO showed significant cytotoxicity against A375 cells, with IC50 values of 7.2, 5.1, and 3.4 μg/mL referring to 24, 48, and 72 h, respectively, indicating its potential as a natural cytotoxic agent. The antimicrobial activity of the essential oils against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 29213 and Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 was also investigated. The essential oils from the flowers and leaves of T. speciosa demonstrated higher inhibitory activity against S. aureus (MIC: 5.9–7.8 μL/mL) and E. coli (MIC: 7.8–11.7 μL/mL) than the essential oil isolated from the roots of the plant (MICs 31.3 and 62.5 μL/mL against S. aureus and E. coli, respectively)

Abies Concolor Seeds and Cones as New Source of Essential Oils—Composition and Biological Activity

The chemical composition, including the enantiomeric excess of the main terpenes, of essential oils from seeds and cones of Abies concolor was studied by chromatographic (GC) and spectroscopic methods (mass spectrometry, nuclear magnetic resonance), leading to the determination of 98 compounds. Essential oils were mainly composed of monoterpene hydrocarbons. The dominant volatiles of seed essential oil were: limonene (47 g/100 g, almost pure levorotary form) and α-pinene (40 g/100 g), while α-pinene (58 g/100 g), sabinene (11 g/100 g), and β-pinene (4.5 g/100 g) were the predominant components of the cone oil. The seed and cone essential oils exhibited mild antibacterial activity, and the MIC ranged from 26 to 30 μL/mL against all of the tested bacterial standard strains: Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Enterococcus faecium, Escherichia coli, and Klebsiella pneumoniae. The cytotoxic studies have demonstrated that tested essential oils were cytotoxic to human skin fibroblasts and human microvascular endothelial cells at concentrations much lower than the MIC. The essential oils from A. concolor seeds and cones had no toxic effect on human skin fibroblasts and human microvascular endothelial cells, when added to the cells at a low concentration (0–0.075 μL/mL) and (0–1.0 μL/mL), respectively, and cultured for 24 h

Chemical composition and antioxidant, antibacterial activity of <i>Cirsium rivulare</i> (Jacq) All. roots

<p>The mixture of three phytosterols (campesterol, stigmasterol and <i>β</i>-sitosterol), <i>β</i>-sitosterol 3-<i>O</i>-glucoside and syringin were isolated from hexane and methanol extract of <i>Cirsium rivulare</i> roots after chromatographic separation. The main component of the source was syringin which was obtained with the yield 0.08% of the dry source. In hexane extract, the qualitative and quantitative composition of fatty acids was determined. The predominant component was linoleic acid (23.31 mg/g of extract). The extracts showed antioxidant activity. The ability to scavenge DPPH• free radical was in correlation with appointed total phenol content. The not-defatted methanolic extract was the most active. Hexane and defatted methanol extracts showed moderate antibacterial activity against G(+) and G(−) strains with MIC and MBC ranged from 25 to 200 μg/mL.</p

Bioactive Compounds in Aegopodium podagraria Leaf Extracts and Their Effects against Fluoride-Modulated Oxidative Stress in the THP-1 Cell Line

Aegopodium podagraria L. (goutweed), a member of the Apiaceae family, is a common perennial plant found all around the world that has been used in folk medicine since antiquity. Goutweed leaves contain polyacetylenes, essential oils, mono- and sesquiterpenes, vitamins, macro- and microelements, and phenolic compounds. In spite of its many health-promoting properties, including antioxidant effects, the plant has not been thoroughly studied. The aim of this study was to investigate the antioxidant properties of different goutweed leaf extracts and their effects on the THP-1 cell line, and also to describe the chemical characteristics of goutweed. Falcarinol and falcarindiol and essential oil were determined by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. Spectrophotometry was used to measure the total content of polyphenols and antioxidant activity&ndash;by DPPH and FRAP methods. Oxidative stress in THP-1 cells was induced via sodium fluoride. Then, goutweed leaf extracts were added to evaluate their influence on antioxidant potential (ABTS) and the activity of antioxidant enzymes. Confocal microscopy was used to visualise the production of cytoplasmic and mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) and for in vitro imaging of apoptosis. The ethanol extracts have a high total content of polyphenols, polyacetylenes, and essential oil, as well as high antioxidant potential. The main volatiles represented diverse chemical groups, which are both oxygenated derivatives of sesquiterpenes and monoterpenes. We also demonstrated positive effects of the high antioxidant potential and increased activity of antioxidant enzymes on cell cultures under severe fluoride-induced oxidative stress. Extraction at 80 &#8451; and the use of ethanol as a solvent increased the antioxidant capacity of the extract. The leaves of Aegopodium podagraria may serve as a valuable source of antioxidants in the daily diet and assist in the prevention and treatment of oxidative stress-mediated conditions, e.g., inflammatory conditions, cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, and even obesity

Phytotoxic Effect of Invasive <i>Heracleum mantegazzianum</i> Essential Oil on Dicot and Monocot Species

Spreading of the plant species in new areas is supported by the hypothesis in which chemicals produced by alien species are allopathic to native plants. A novel weapon hypothesis was tested by using essential oil of dangerous alien species Heracleum mantegazzianum in laboratory conditions. Aboveground plant material was collected in south-east part of Slovakia, dried and hydrodistilled for essential oil isolation. Dominant compounds as octyl acetate (62.6%), hexyl 2-metylbutyrate (10.7%), hexyl isobutyrate (7.5%) and hexyl butyrate (6.5%) were identified by GC-MS. Potential phytotoxic activity was tested on three dicot plant species garden cress (Lepidium sativum L.), radish (Raphanus sativus L.) and lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) and on one monocot plant species wheat Triticum aestivum L. Germination of the seeds of model plant species after influencing by different doses of essential oil of H. mantegazzianum as well as the roots length was evaluated. Lepidium sativum L. and Raphanus sativus L. were generally not sensitive to applied doses of essential oil although a little stimulation effect at some concentrations prevailed over inhibition effect. Similarly, in monocot species Triticum aestivum L., stimulation was visible in both root length and root number at two or one highest doses, respectively

Multifunctional Phytocompounds in Cotoneaster Fruits: Phytochemical Profiling, Cellular Safety, Anti-Inflammatory and Antioxidant Effects in Chemical and Human Plasma Models In Vitro

The work presents the results of an investigation into the molecular background of the activity of Cotoneaster fruits, providing a detailed description of their phytochemical composition and some of the mechanisms of their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. GS-FID-MS and UHPLC-PDA-ESI-MS3 methods were applied to identify the potentially health-beneficial constituents of lipophilic and hydrophilic fractions, leading to the identification of fourteen unsaturated fatty acids (with dominant linoleic acid, 375.4–1690.2 mg/100 g dw), three phytosterols (with dominant β-sitosterol, 132.2–463.3 mg/100 g), two triterpenoid acids (10.9–54.5 mg/100 g), and twenty-six polyphenols (26.0–43.5 mg GAE/g dw). The most promising polyphenolic fractions exhibited dose-dependent anti-inflammatory activity in in vitro tests of lipoxygenase (IC50 in the range of 7.7–24.9 μg/U) and hyaluronidase (IC50 in the range of 16.4–29.3 μg/U) inhibition. They were also demonstrated to be a source of effective antioxidants, both in in vitro chemical tests (DPPH, FRAP, and TBARS) and in a biological model, in which at in vivo-relevant levels (1–5 μg/mL) they normalized/enhanced the nonenzymatic antioxidant capacity of human plasma and efficiently protected protein and lipid components of plasma against peroxynitrite-induced oxidative/nitrative damage. Moreover, the investigated extracts did not exhibit cytotoxicity towards human PMBCs. Among the nine Cotoneaster species tested, C. hjelmqvistii, C. zabelii, C. splendens, and C. bullatus possess the highest bioactive potential and might be recommended as dietary and functional food products