Chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of volatile fraction of Anthriscus nemorosa (Bieb.) Sprengel (Umbelliferae)

Anthriscus nemorosa (Bieb.) Sprengel (Umbelliferae) is a nitrophile pererurial with a long, stout root. This plant occurs in the temperate area of Eurasia [l], from ltaly on the west to Japan on the East. The species is a member of A. sylvestris (L.) Hoffm. complex [2]. In Serbia, it usually inhabits the shady herbaceous layer in thermophilous forests and underbrush vegetation at the lower altitudes. It prefers moderately wet, steep, stony and eroded slopes. From methanol extract of the roots of A. nemorosa two lignan lactones (savinin, and nemerosin) were isolated [3]. We investigated composition and antimicrobial activity of essential oil from the roots of this plant. Plant material was collected in Sićevača gorge (E. Serbia), in July 2007. The essential oil was isolated by hydrodistillation and analyzed by GC and GC-MS. The roots yielded 0.2% w/w of light yellow oil with aromatic smell. The main constituents of the oil were: n-nonane (12.1%), n-hexadecanol (6.9%), δ-cadinene (6.4%), β-pinene (6.0%) and germacrene D (5.4%). The essential oil from roots of A. nemorosa differed from the root oil of the closely related species A. sylvestris (L.) Hoffm. which was dominated by β-phellandrene (45.4%), Z-β-ocimene (16.9%), and α-pinene (4.6%) [4]. The microbial growth inhibitory properties of isolated essential oil were determined using the broth microdilution method [5] against Gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus epidermidis (ATCC 12228), Bacillus subtilis (ATCC 6633), Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922) and a yeast Candida albicans (ATCC 10259 and ATCC 24433). The best inhibitory effect was detected against B. subtilis (MIC 6.25 µg/ml) and C. albicans (ATCC 10259) (MIC 50 µg/ml). References: [1] Nikolić, V. (1973): Anthriscus Pers. In: Josifović, M. (ed.): Flora SR Srbije 5: 334-338. Srpska akademija nauka i umetnosti, Beograd.; [2] Cannon, J.F.M. (1968): Anthriscus Pers. In: Tutin, T.G., Heywood, V.H., Burges, N.A., Moore, D.M., Valentine, D.H., Walters, S.M., Webb, D.A. (eds): Flora Europaea 2: 326. University Press, Cambridge.; [3] Turabelidze, D.G., Mikaya, G.A., Kemertelidze, Vul"fson, N.S. (1982) Bioorg. Khim. 8: 695-701.; [4] Bos, R., Koulman, A., Woerdenbag, H.J., Quax, W.J., Pras, N. (2002) J. Chromatogr. A 966: 233-238.; [5] Candan, F., Unlq M., Tepe, 8., Daferera, D., Polissiou, M., Sdkmen, A., Akpulat, A. (2003) J. Ethnopharmacol. 87: 215-220.The 80th anniversary of the publication of Turrill’s “Plant life of the Balkan peninsula

Essential oil of Acinos mayoranifolius (Mill.) Šilić (Lamiaceae) from Montenegro

Acinos mayoranifolius (Mill.) Silic is endemic, spread across the western border area of Croatia and Herzegovina and the western part of Montenegro. It is a distinctly Mediterranean mountainous species. It inhabits open limestone rocky terrains, rims of karst forests, on heights between 20 and 1400m (Silic, 1979, 1984). A. majoranifolius is distinguished from the rest of the Acinos species by its aroma, and therefore the composition of its essential oil is presented in this work. We have studied the essential oils of three populations of A. majoranifolius collected from different localities in Western Montenegro: mountain Orjen, Njegusi and Lijeva Rijeka. The samples were gathered in the flowering period. The essential oil was obtained by hydrodistillation from the dried aerial parts of the plants. The analyses of the oils were carried out using GC/MS. The identification of the compounds was based on comparison of their Kovats indices (KI), their retention times (RT) and mass spectra with those obtained from authentic samples and/or the MS library (Adams, 1995). The yield of the essential oils was between 0.5% and 0.6%. Pulegone was the main component of all the oils (65.4%-81.3%). The Mt. Orjen and Njegusi populations had a high content of isomenthone (11.4% and 15.4%), while this compound was detected only in traces in the Lijeva Rijeka population.Isopulegone and caryophyllene oxide were found in similar concentrations in all populations

Chemical Composition and Antimicrobial Activity of the Essential Oil from Chaerophyllum aureum L. (Apiaceae)

The essential oils of the aerial parts and fruits of Chaerophyllum aureum L., collected from two Mountains in Serbia, were analyzed by GC and GUMS. Sabinene (18.5-31.6%), p-cymene (7.9-25.4%) and limonene (1.9-10.9%) were characterized as the main constituents. The oils were tested against six bacterial strains and one strain of yeast, Candida albicans. The highest antimicrobial activity was observed against the Gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus, S. epidermidis and Micrococcus luteus, while of the Gram-negative strains, Escherichia coli was the most sensitive

Promenljivost osobina etarskog ulja vrste Clinopodium pulegium (Lamiaceae) u zavisnosti od fenološke faze

The variability of essential oil characteristics in different phenological stages of Clinopodium pulegium from its natural habitat (Svrljiški Timok gorge, Serbia) and from cultivated plants (Niš, Serbia) was determined. The essential oils were obtained from aerial parts of the plants by hydrodistillation and analyzed by GC-MS. These are the first data on the essential oil characteristics of plants of the population from the Svrljiški Timok gorge. Samples originating from both natural and cultivated populations were characterized by high amounts of essential oils in all stages of development (0.8% - 1.4%). Twenty-one compounds were identified, representing 95.3-99.6% of the total oils. Differences in the essential oil composition were more quantitative than qualitative. The quality of the essential oil was stable and did not vary with differences in environmental conditions. Dominance of the main components was modified by phenological stage. Pulegone was dominant in the vegetative (76.1% wild population, 62.7% cultivated population) and the flowering (49.5%, 64.6%) stages, while menthone (48.5%, 65.3%) displaced pulegone (34.7%, 18.4%) at the fruiting stage. Cultivated plants in the vegetative and flowering stages can be considered a significant source of pulegone, and in the fruiting stage a significant source of menthone. Careful selection of the developmental stage of the plant is a potential tool which could be employed to obtain the preferred chemical composition of C. pulegium for commercial use.U radu je praćena promenljivost količine i sastava etarkog ulja Clinopodium pulegium kroz različite stadijume razvoja biljke (vegetativni, stadijum cvetanja i plodonošenja). Materijal je sakupljan iz samonikle (klisura Svrljiškog Timoka) i gajene (Niš) populacije. Etarsko ulje je izolovano iz nadzemnih delova biljaka destilacijom vodenom parom i analizirano GC-MS metodom. Ovo su prvi podaci o osobinama etarskog ulja biljaka populacije iz klisure Svrljiškog Timoka. Svi uzorci kako iz samonikle tako i iz gajene populacije su se odlikovali velikim sadržajem ulja (0.8% - 1.4%) u svim stadijumima razvoja. Dvadeset jedna komponenta je identifikovana što predstavlja 95.3-99.6% ukupnog etarskog ulja. Razlike u sastavu ulja su bile više kvantitativne nego kvalitativne. Kvalitet etarskog ulja je bio stabilan a variranja uslovljena promenom sredine relativno mala. Dominacija glavnih komponenata je bila uslovljena promenama fenoloških faza. Pulegon je bio dominantan u vegetativnoj (76.1% u ulju biljaka samonikle populacije, 62.7% u ulju biljaka gajene populacije) i fazi cvetanja (49.5%, 64.6%), dok je menton bio dominantan (48.5%, 65.3%) u fazi plodonošenja. Rezultati su pokazali da se biljke u vegetativnoj i fazi cvetanja mogu smatrati značajnim izvorom pulegona, a u fazi plodonošenja značajnim izvorom mentona. Pažljivim odabirom razvojnog stadijuma biljke moguće je dobiti etarsko ulje željenog sastava koje bi se moglo upotrebiti u komercijalne svrhe

Composition and antimicrobial activity of essential oil from the underground parts of Laserpitium zernyi Hayek (Apiaceae)

Laserpitium zernyi Hayek is Scardo-Pindic endemic plant distributed in the mountain regions of C. Balkans. It was treated earlier as a subspecies, L. siler L. subsp. zernyi (Hayek) Tutin [1,2]. Root of L. siler is traditionally used as tonic, diuretic, emenagogue, in gynecology and externally for toothache treatments [3]. Composition and antimicrobial activity of essential oil from the underground parts (roots and rhizomes) of L. zernyi were investigated. Air-dried and powdered plant material was hydrodistilled using n-hexane as a collecting solvent. Pale blue oil yielded 1.2l% (w/w). The essential oil was analyzed by GC/FID and GC/MS. Forty-three compounds were identified (94.3% of total oil). Oil was characterised by similar content of monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes (52.9% and 41.4%, respectively). The main constituents were α-pinene (3 1.6%) and α-bisabolol (30.9%). The antimicrobial activity was tested using the microdillution method [4] against Gram(+) bacteria Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, S. epidermidis ATCC 12228, Micrococcus luteus ATCC 9341, Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212, Gram(-) bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853, Klebsiella pneumoniae NCIMB 9111, Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, and two strains of yeast Candida albicans (ATCC 10259 and 24433). Laserpitium zernyi oil showed significant antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus epidermidis (MIC 31.83 µg/ml), S. aureus and Micrococcus luteus (MICs 63.67 µg/ml). For all other tested microorganisms MIC values were higher than 100.00 µg /ml. The studied essential oil isolated from the underground parts of L. zernyi had a remarkably different composition than the previously tested oils from flower and herb of this plant, and also showed a much higher antimicrobial activity [5].The 80th anniversary of the publication of Turrill’s “Plant life of the Balkan peninsula

The chemistry and biological activity of the Hyacinthaceae

Covering: 1914 to 2012The Hyacinthaceae (sensu APGII), with approximately 900 species in about 70 genera, can be divided into three main subfamilies, the Hyacinthoideae, the Urgineoideae and the Ornithogaloideae, with a small fourth subfamily the Oziroëoideae, restricted to South America. The plants included in this family have long been used in traditional medicine for a wide range of medicinal applications. This, together with some significant toxicity to livestock has led to the chemical composition of many of the species being investigated. The compounds found are, for the most part, subfamily-restricted, with homoisoflavanones and spirocyclic nortriterpenoids characterising the Hyacinthoideae, bufadienolides characterising the Urgineoideae, and cardenolides and steroidal glycosides characterising the Ornithogaloideae. The phytochemical profiles of 38 genera of the Hyacinthaceae will be discussed as well as any biological activity associated with both crude extracts and compounds isolated. The Hyacinthaceae of southern Africa were last reviewed in 2000 (T. S. Pohl, N. R. Crouch and D. A. Mulholland, Curr. Org. Chem., 2000, 4, 1287-1324; ); the current contribution considers the family at a global level

CONTRIBUTION TO THE STUDY OF CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS OF URGINEA MARITIMA BAKER

IN THIS THESIS SAMPLES OF SCILLA MARITIMA (L) COLLECTED IN ATHENS, HAVE BEEN ANALYZED. THE RESEARCH ON THE CONSTITUENTS HAS BEEN PERFORMED IN TWO STAGES. A.PRELIMINARY TESTS. THE FOLLOWING GROUPS OF SUBSTANCES HAVE BEEN DETECTED: FREE SUGARS, MUCILAGE, AMINO ACIDS, TANNINS, POLYPHENOLS (FLAVONOIDS, PHENOLIC ACIDS). TESTS FOR SAPONIM, TRITERPENIC ACIDS AND ALKALOIDS WERE NOT CONCLUSIVE. B. MAIN RESEARCH. A. IN THE PETROLEUM ETHER EXTRACT HAVE BEEN ISOLATED (AFTER SAPONIFICATION) AND IDENTIFIED; B. SITOSTEROL AND B-CAROTENE (IN THE UNSAPONIFIABLE MATTER), PALMITIC, PALMITOLEIC, STEARIC, OLEIC, LINOLEIC, AND LINOLENICACIDS. (SHORTENED)ΑΠΟ ΤΗΝ ΧΗΜΙΚΗ ΑΝΑΛΥΣΗ ΤΩΝ ΣΥΣΤΑΤΙΚΩΝ ΤΟΥ ΦΥΤΟΥ SCILLA MARITIMA L., ΠΟΥ ΦΥΕΤΑΙΣΤΗΝ ΕΛΛΑΔΑ ΔΙΑΠΙΣΤΩΘΗΚΑΝ ΤΑ ΕΞΗΣ: Α. ΠΡΟΔΟΚΙΜΑΣΤΙΚΕΣ ΕΡΕΥΝΕΣ. ΔΙΑΠΙΣΤΩΘΗΚΕ ΗΥΠΑΡΞΗ ΤΩΝ ΚΑΤΩΘΙ ΟΜΑΔΩΝ: 1. ΕΛΕΥΘΕΡΩΝ ΣΑΚΧΑΡΩΝ. 2. ΒΛΕΝΝΑΣ, ΠΟΥ ΣΥΝΙΣΤΑΤΑΙ ΑΠΟ ΓΛΥΚΟΣΗ, ΞΥΛΟΣΗ, ΜΑΝΝΟΣΗ. 3. ΑΜΙΝΟΞΕΩΝ. 4. ΤΑΝΝΙΝΩΝ. 5. ΠΟΛΥΦΑΙΝΟΛΙΚΩΝ ΕΝΩΣΕΩΝ (ΦΛΑΒΟΝΟΕΙΔΗ, ΦΑΙΝΟΛΟΞΕΑ). Η ΑΝΙΧΝΕΥΣΗ ΣΑΠΩΝΙΚΩΝ ΤΡΙΤΕΡΠΕΝΙΚΩΝ ΟΥΣΙΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΑΛΚΑΛΟΕΙΔΩΝ ΑΠΕΒΗ ΑΡΝΗΤΙΚΗ. Β. ΚΥΡΙΩΣ ΕΡΕΥΝΑ: Α. ΣΤΟ ΠΕΤΡΕΛΑΙΚΟΑΙΘΕΡΙΚΟ ΕΚΧΥΛΙΣΜΑ ΜΕΤΑ ΑΠΟ ΣΑΠΩΝΟΠΟΙΗΣΗ ΒΡΕΘΗΚΑΝ ΚΑΙ ΠΡΟΣΔΙΟΡΙΣΤΗΚΑΝ. ΣΤΑ ΑΣΑΠΩΝΟΠΟΙΗΤΑ Η Β-ΑΤΟΣΤΕΡΟΛΗ ΚΑΙ ΤΟ Β-ΚΑΡΟΤΕΝΙΟ, ΣΤΑ ΣΑΠΩΝΟΠΟΙΗΜΕΝΑ ΤΑ ΛΙΠΑΡΑ ΟΞΕΑ: ΜΥΡΙΣΤΙΚΟ, ΠΑΛΜΙΤΙΚΟ, ΠΑΛΜΙΤΕΛΑΙΚΟ, ΣΤΕΑΤΙΚΟ, ΕΛΑΙΚΟ, ΛΙΝΕΛΑΙΚΟ ΚΑΙ ΛΙΝΟΛΕΝΙΚΟ. (ΠΕΡΙΚΟΠΗ

The essential oil of Valeriana officinalis L. s.l. growing wild in western Serbia

The oil obtained by hydrodistillation from underground parts of Valeriana officinalis L.s.l., growing wild on Tara Mountain (western Serbia), was analyzed by means of GC/MS. Fifty-three components, representing 90.7% of the oil, were identified. The main characteristic of this valerian essential oil was the presence of valerianol (57.3%) and bornyl acetate (11.3%)