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
