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Ravenia spectabilis Engl. belongs to the family Rutaceae is known to possess several biologically active phytomolecules. This study was planned to investigate the chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of the leaf essential oil of R. spectabilis. The hydrodistillation of fresh leaves of R. spectabilis gave 0.19 ± 0.02% essential oil. The resulting essential oil was analysed by gas chromatography-flame ionization detector (GC-FID) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Altogether, thirty-one constituents forming 97.6 ± 1.72% of the total oil composition were identified. Major components of the oil were sabinene (60.8 ± 0.36%), α-pinene (5.4 ± 0.30%), myrcene (4.8 ± 0.25%), δ-3-carene (4.7 ± 0.62%) and β-pinene (4.3 ± 0.17%). The in-vitro antimicrobial potential of the oil was examined against eight human pathogenic bacterial and fungal strains. The essential oil showed significant activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis, Candida albicans, and Candida kefyr. This is the first report on R. spectabilis leaf essential oil composition and its antimicrobial activity. The essential oil could be a promising natural source of sabinene and antimicrobial for developing new phytotherapeutics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To develop elite mutant in Mentha piperita having morphotype and oil content of Mentha arvensis, and oil quality of M. piperita. The dormant runner of menthol rich genotype MPK-5 were subjected to different doses of γ- irradiation (10, 20, 30, 50, 70, 90, and 110 Gy) at a dose rate of 55 Gy/min to induce the genetic variability for herb and oil yield as well as oil quality. A wide spectrum of variability for agro-morphological traits, herb yield, and quality profile was observed among the mutants. The developed and selected superior mutants viz. MPK-5(1) and MPK-5(3) have a mean herb yield potential of 23.923 and 21.503 Kg/9 m2; mean oil yield of 92.953 and 80.047 ml/plot; mean menthol content of 69.012% and 69.160% with mean menthofuran content of 1.554% and 0.531%, respectively. Mutational breeding through γ- irradiation is considered complementary to the conventional breeding method, to broaden the spectrum of genetic variability. The developed and selected mutants namely viz. MPK-5(1) and MPK-5(3) identified as promising mutants, based on herb yield, oil yield, and essential oil quality, could be used as a parental line for exploitation in hybridization program/recombinant breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study was to investigate the chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of the essential oil of the senescent leaves of Psidium guajava L. (Myrtaceae). The hydrodistilled essential oil of the leaves was analysed by GC-FID and GC-MS. The antimicrobial activity of the oil was assessed against human and plant pathogenic microorganisms by disc diffusion, microdilution broth and poison food techniques. A total of forty-six constituents, representing 90.9% of the total oil composition were identified. Major constituents of the oil were limonene (29.1%), (E)-caryophyllene (15.7%), caryophyllene oxide (8.8%), caryophylla-4(12),8(13)-dien-5-ol (6.5%), (E)-nerolidol (4.0%), α-cadinol (3.4%), and muurola-4,10(14)-dien-1-β-ol (2.5%). The chemical composition of the examined essential oil was quite different from those reported earlier. The essential oil showed significant inhibition of human pathogenic bacteria (MIC: 0.065–0.261 mg/mL) and plant pathogenic fungi, namely Curvularia lunata (86.02%) and Fusarium chlamydosporum (82.80%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The essential oils extracted from the leaves, inflorescence, whole aerial-parts and root of patchouli [Pogostemon cablin (Blanco) Benth.] were analyzed and compared using GC-FID and GC-MS. Altogether thirty-four constituents, representing 86.9–97.7% of the total oil compositions, were identified. Major constituents of the oils of aerial-parts (leaves, inflorescence and whole aerial-parts) were patchouli alcohol (42.2–57.7%), α-bulnesene (9.0–15.2%), α-guaiene (6.4–17.9%), seychellene (3.4–6.9%), pogostol (0.3–5.0%) and (E)-caryophyllene (2.1–3.6%). However, the root oil was characterized by higher amount of pogostone (70.2%), norpatchoulenol (5.3%) and β-pinene (4.5%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Murraya koenigii (L.) Spreng. (Rutaceae) is characterized by a large chemical intraspecific variability among the land races. This fact makes it difficult to detect real changes occurring in their essential oil composition during annual cycle. Based on this, variations of essential oil yield and composition in two chemotypes (‘A’ and ‘B’) of M. koenigii were assessed in spring, summer, rainy, autumn and winter seasons under foot hill conditions of northern India. The essential oil yield ranged from 0.15% to 0.18% in chemotype ‘A’, while it varied from 0.12% to 0.14% in chemotype ‘B’. Essential oils of both chemotypes from different seasons were analysed by gas chromatography (GC–FID) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). A total of fifty-eight constituents representing 93.7–98.8% of chemotype ‘A’ and fifty-six constituents forming 96.1–98.7% of the total composition of chemotype ‘B’ were identified. Chemotype ‘A’ was characterized by higher percentages of α-pinene (34.6–41.9%), sabinene (26.1–36.1%), (E)-caryophyllene (2.4–5.4%) and terpinen-4-ol (1.5–5.3%), whereas chemotype ‘B’ was dominated by higher amount of α-pinene (52.7–65.3%), β-pinene (10.7–12.9%), (E)-caryophyllene (3.1–10.3%) and limonene (5.1–7.8%). Comparative results showed considerable variations in the essential oil composition of both chemotypes due to season of collection. Present study concluded that the M. koenigii leaves of desired quality may be obtained by selecting suitable chemotype and season. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]