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The chemical compositions of eleven wild species of aromatic and medicinal plants indigenous to Algeria, including Thymus, Mentha, Rosmarinus, Lavandula, and Eucalyptus, were analyzed. The identification of the chemical composition of each oil was conducted using GC-FID and GC-MS capillary gas chromatography. The study investigated the chemical variability of the essential oils based on several parameters. These included the impact of the vegetative cycle on oil composition, variations among subspecies of the same species, variations among species within the same genus, the influence of environmental factors on composition variations within a species, chemo typing, and the genetic factors (such as hybridization) contributing to chemical variability. The concepts of chemotaxonomy, chemotype, and chemical markers were examined to understand their limitations and emphasize the importance of regulating the use of essential oils derived from wild plants. The study advocates for an approach that involves the domestication of wild plants and screening their chemical compositions according to more specific standards for each commercially available oil. Lastly, the nutritional implications and the variability of nutritional impact based on the chemical composition of the essential oils will be discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to investigate the chemical composition of essential oils and hydrosol extract ofDaucus carotasubsp.sativus, and as well as their biological activities. The major compounds of root oil were geranyl linalool (50.3%). Aerial parts essential oil was made of alismol (15.2%), α-humulene (9.5%) and β-ionone (8.2%). The main components of root hydrosol extract were myristicine (17.8%), (E)-methyl-iso-eugenol (16.6%) and methyl-eugenol (11.9%). Furthermore, caryophyllene oxide (9.8%) and p-cymen-8-ol (8.9%) were the major compounds of hydrosol extract from aerial parts. The hydrosol extract of roots produced the best inhibition againstP. expansumandB. cinerea. While, essential oil of roots was inhibitory at relatively higher concentrations. Results showed that the treatments of strawberry fruit with roots essential oil and hydrosol extract ofD. carotasubsp.sativuspresented a very interesting protective and preventive activity on strawberry againstB. cinereamould. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study reports the qualitative and quantitative analysis of the essential oils extracted by hydrodistillation from the aerial parts and the leaves ofCardaria draba(L.) Desv.(Brassicaceaefamily) growing in the West Northern of Algeria. The volatile components of the aerial parts and the leaves were determined using both GC and GC-MS techniques which allowed the identification of thirty nine constituents accounting for 68.25 % and 77.63 % of the total oils, respectively. The major components were 6,10,14-trimethyl-2-pentadecanone (aerial parts : 20.61 %; leaves : 11.08 %) and (E)-phytol (aerial parts : 11.38 %; leaves : 39.67 %). Total phenolic contents of six extracts of the leaves and the stems ofC. drabawere estimated by using Folin-Ciocalteu reagent. The ethanolic extract of the leaves was found to possess the highest total phenolic content (57.79 mg of Gallic acid equivalent/g of plant extract). The antioxidant activity of the aerial parts oil and the extracts ofC. drabawas assessed using DPPH test. The ethanolic extract of the leaves showed a significant DPPH scavenging capacity (IC50= 0.53 mg/ml). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Chemical and genetic diversity of Teucrium polium L. subsp. polium from western Algeria and T. polium L. subsp. capitatum from Corsica were investigated. Diversity within and among the two populations of subspecies was assessed according to the chemical composition of their essential oils and the genetic diversity. Chemical analysis was performed using a combination of capillary GC-RI and GC/MS after fractionation using column chromatography. Genetic structures were mapped using three polymorphic genetic markers: two chloroplast markers (RPL32-TRNL and TRNL-F) and ribosomal nuclear markers (ITS region). The statistical analysis showed that both subspecies were clearly distinguished by these chemical and genetic markers. The oil chemical compositions differed qualitatively and quantitatively between the subspecies. Both collective oils were dominated by hydrocarbon compounds however the Algerian sample oils exhibited higher amounts of hydrocarbon sesquiterpenes than those of Corsica (31.2g/100g vs. 4.4g/100g) while the latter displayed higher amounts of hydrocarbon monoterpenes than the first (59.3g/100g vs. 34.3g/100g). Neighbor-joining, Maximum likelihood and Bayesian trees constructed from chloroplast markers and nuclear ITS region sequences showed the existence of two groups associated with taxonomic and chemical characteristics. The study indicated that variation in the essential oil composition within subspecies depends on genetic background. The samples of subsp. capitatum from Corsica are a homogeneous group, in contrast to samples of subsp. polium from Algeria which were clustered in two groups. Chemical and genetic diversity of Algerian populations could be explained by geographical isolation of the populations. In addition, the morphological polymorphism observed throughout the colour of flowers could be explained by environmental parameters as well as the soil pH. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]