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AbstractThis study presents chemical profiles, antimicrobial and toxicological evaluation of the essential oils (EOs) of five Achilleaspecies native to the flora of Serbia (A. coarctata, A. chrysocoma, A. clypeolata, A. pseudopectinataand A. ageratifolia). The chemical compositions of the EOs were investigated by Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry and Gas Chromatography/Flame Ionization Detector analyses. The microdilution method was used for antimicrobial and Artemia salinaacute toxicity bioassay for toxicological evaluation of the EOs. Oxygenated monoterpenes have shown dominance in four out of five tested EOs (A. ageratifolia, A. pseudopectinata, A. chrysocomaand A. clypeolata) where 1,8-cineole and camphor were the most common dominant compounds. Conversely, A. coarctataEO was characterized by dominance of oxygenated sesquiterpenes with viridiflorol and cis-cadin-4-en-7-ol as the major compounds. Antimicrobial testing showed that studied EOs are characterized by broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, which was not notably selective in relation to the Gram-staining properties of the tested microorganisms. Furthermore, all five EOs have shown high toxicity in A. salinalethality bioassay, suggesting that they may possess a certain level of pesticidal and/or antitumor properties. Achillea chrysocomaEO demonstrated the most prominent antimicrobial activity, but it was the fourth active in view of toxicity against A. salina. Contrary, A. coarctataEO was the most potent toxic agent toward A. salina, but it was only the fourth of the five regarding the antimicrobial potential. Presented results confirmed that highly toxic EOs could demonstrate moderate activity against the pathogenic microorganisms as the effects of the EOs diverge in pro- and eukaryotic cells.

Background Genus AchilleaL., one of the largest and the most taxonomically complicated genera of the Asteraceae family, has a complex phyletic structure due to excessive hybridization and polyploidy, which especially occurs among species from the Achilleasection. Although the genus has been investigated in detail, a hybrid Achillea ×vandasiiVelen has not been studied for volatile profiles. Thus, this study aimed to analyze and compare headspace volatiles (HSVs) from rosette leaf, stem leaf, stem, and inflorescence as well as essential oil (EO) of plant aerial parts.Methods The chemical composition of the headspace volatiles and essential oil of a hybrid Achillea ×vandasiiVelen. were analyzed by gas chromatography with a flame ionization detector (GC-FID) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS).Results The distribution among HSVs depends on the plant organ investigated. Generally, monoterpene hydrocarbons and oxygenated monoterpenes were dominant in all headspace samples, primarily 1,8-cineole followed by α-pinene and β-pinene. Sesquiterpenoids were absent or presented in a low percentage. Unlike HSVs, the EO was abundant in sesquiterpene hydrocarbons and their oxygenated derivates. Among all, caryophyllene oxide, α-cadinol, and germacrene D were dominant in the studied essential oil.Conclusions The results showed that the qualitative and quantitative composition of studied headspace volatiles and essential oil differ significantly in terms of terpene content. Considering the hybrid origin of the studied taxon and obtained volatile profiles, the tested hybrid shows no or very weak agreement with the parental species.

In leaf cuticular wax of Pinus pinaster,content of nonacosan-10-ol is high (77.1% on average). n-Alkanes ranged from C18to C35with the most dominant C29(24.8%). The carbon preference index (CPItotal) ranged from 3.1 to 5.6 (4.0 on average), while the average chain length (ACLtotal) ranged from 14.0 to 17.0 (14.8 on average). Long-chain n-alkanes (n-C25-35) strongly dominated (80.1%) over middle-chain (n-C21-24 =18.9%) and short-chain (n-C18-20 =0.9%) n-alkanes.

In needle cuticular wax of Pinus halepensis, nonacosan-10-ol is high (77.08% on average). n-Alkanes ranged from C18to C35with the most dominant C27and C29(32.4% and 25.8%, respectively). The carbon preference index ranged from 3.2 to 5.4 (3.4 on average), while the average chain length ranged from 14.0 to 18.0 (17.2 on average). Long-chain n-alkanes strongly dominated (95.1%).