Search

In this paper, the chemical composition and the antimicrobial activity of the essential oil of Angelica archangelica L. (Apiaceae) roots from central Italy were analyzed. The major constituents of the oil were α-pinene (21.3%), δ-3-carene (16.5%), limonene (16.4%) and α-phellandrene (8.7%). The oil shows a good antimicrobial activity against Clostridium difficile, Clostridium perfringens, Enterococcus faecalis, Eubacterium limosum, Peptostreptococcus anaerobius, and Candida albicans with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of 0.25, 0.25, 0.13, 0.25, 2.25, and 0.50% v/v, respectively. A weaker antimicrobial activity against bifidobacteria and lactobacilli-very useful in the intestinal microflora-has also been shown with MIC values >4.0% v/v.

The chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of the essential oils obtained from the flowering aerial parts and ripe fruits of Echinophora spinosa L. (Apiaceae) from central Italy were analyzed by GC/MS. The major constituents of the oil from the aerial parts were beta-phellandrene (34.7%), myristicin (16.5%), delta3-carene (12.6%), alpha-pinene (6.7%) and alpha-phellandrene (6.2%), and of the oil from the ripe fruits p-cymene (50.2%), myristicin (15.3%), alpha-pinene (15.1%) and alpha-phellandrene (8.1%). The two oils showed good antimicrobial activity against Clostridium difficile, C. perfringens, Enterococcus faecalis, Eubacterium limosum, Peptostreptococcus anaerobius and Candida albicans with MIC values respectively of 0.25, 0.25, 0.25, 0.25, 2.25, and 0.50%, v/v, and 0.13, 0.13, 0.13, 0.13, 2.25, 0.50%, v/v, for aerial parts and ripe fruits respectively. A less significant antimicrobial activity against bifidobacteria and lactobacilli, very important in the intestinal microflora, was also detected, with MIC values higher than 4.0%, v/v.

This is the first report about the composition of the essential oil of Salvia x jamensis. The major compounds identified by GC-MS were beta-caryophyllene (14.8 %), beta-pinene (6.8 %), caryophyllene oxide (6.0 %), delta-cadinene (5.5 %), alpha-pinene (5.2 %) and spatulenol (5.2 %). The oil showed antimicrobial activity against three Gram (+) bacteria: Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, and S. epidermidis, and three Candida strains: C. albicans, C. glabrata and C. tropicalis, while it was inactive against three Gram (-) bacteria: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli and Enterobacter cloacae.

The chemical composition of the essential oil of Ballota nigra L. ssp foetida obtained from the flowering aerial parts was analyzed by GC/MS. From the 37 identified constituents of the oil, beta-caryophyllene (20.0%), germacrene D (18.0%) and caryophyllene oxide (15.0%) were the major components. The oil was active against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria as well as against three Candida species.

This is the first report about the composition of the essential oil from flowering aerial parts of Cotinus coggygria Scoop. (Anacardiaceae) from Italy. The major compounds identified by GC-MS were limonene (47.1%), (Z)-β-ocimene (15.2%), a-pinene (8.5%) and (E)-β-ocimene (5.3%). The oil showed antimicrobial activity against three Gram (+) bacteria: Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, and S. epidermidis, and three Candida strains: C. albicans, C. glabrata and C. tropicalis, while it was inactive against three Gram (-) bacteria: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli and Enterobacter cloacae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The chemical composition of the essential oil obtained from Teucrium marum subsp. marum (Lamiaceae) was analysed by GC/MS and 30 components were identified. Isocaryophyllene (20.24%), β-bisabolene (14.73%), β-sesquiphellandrene (11.27%), α-santalene (10.97%), dolichodial (9.38%) and, α-caryophyllene (7.18%) were the main components. The antimicrobial activity of the essential oil was assayed against four phytopathogenic fungi and Rhyzoctonia solani resulted to be the most sensitive microorganism with a MIC value of 250ppm. The antioxidant activity of the essential oil was evaluated using the DPPH test, 5-lipoxygenase test and luminol/xanthine/xanthine oxidase chemiluminescence assay. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Demethylfruticuline A and fruticuline A, the most abundant compounds from the surface extract of Salvia corrugata Vahl., have shown antibacterial, antitumor and cytotoxic activities. In order to obtain these icetexane diterpenes from in vitro cultures of S. corrugata , protocols were developed for callus production, micropropagation and shoot regeneration. Analysis of the regenerated shoots showed the presence of both icetexanes, micropropagated plants contained only fruticuline A, while the callus contained trace amounts of both diterpenes. The yield of fruticuline A was higher in the methanolic extract of regenerated shoots than in those of fresh leaves and fresh shoot tips. In addition to these diterpenes, the regenerated shoot and micropropagated plant extracts afforded seven other diterpenes, one icetexane and six abietanes, identified by UV, IR, 1D- and 2D-NMR and HR-MS analysis. Five compounds (19-acetoxy-7α-hydroxyroyleanone, 7β,20-epoxy-11,12,19-trihydroxyabieta-8,11,13-triene, 7,20-dihydrofruticuline A, 7β-acetoxy-20-hydroxy-19,20-epoxyroyleanone, 7β-ethoxy-6β,20:19,20-diepoxyroyleanone) were previously undescribed. Although the crude plant surface extract did not possess any antibacterial activity, methanolic extracts of in vitro tissues and two compounds, namely 7β-acetoxy-20-hydroxy-19,20-epoxyroyleanone and 7β-ethoxy-6β,20:19,20-diepoxyroyleanone, isolated in suitable amounts, were active in varying degrees against multidrug resistant clinical strains of Staphylococcus aureus , Staphylococcus epidermidis , Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium , displaying MIC values ranging from 32, 64 to 128 μg/mL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]