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The chemical composition of the essential oil and methanol extract of Calycotome villosa (Poiret) Link leaves collected in Sardinia (Italy) has been studied by analytical and spectroscopic methods. Falcarinol and some alcohols, terpenes, furan derivatives, and paraffins have been isolated from the essential oil. Thirteen alkaloids and falcarinol have been identified in the chloroform fraction of the basic methanol extract. Six flavonoids and four anthraquinones have been isolated in the chloroform fraction after acidification of the basic methanol extract. The cytotoxic and antimicrobial activities have also been evaluated. The essential oil, the methanol extract in toto, and the fraction of the basic extract showed strong cytotoxicity, whereas the fraction of the acid extract showed lower cytotoxicity. Furthermore, this fraction showed good antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus lentus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Providencia rettgeri, and Morganella morganii. It can therefore be stated that this plant's cytotoxicity is prevalently due to falcarinol.

The extracts of the aerial parts and tubers of Asphodelus microcarpus (Liliacee) were studied. The fatty acids, the sugars and some anthraquinone glycosides were determined by means of GC/FTIR, GC/MS and HPLC. The antimicrobial activity of essential oil of aerial parts against blastomycetes, Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria was evaluated.

A comparative study of the essential oils of Santolina insularis and Santolina corsica has been carried out. The two specimens are found in Sardinia and were indiscriminately used in traditional medicine on the island. The essential oil was extracted by steam distillation of fresh aerial parts and analysed by GC, GC-MS and GC-FTIR. The analysis of the essential oils shows substantial qualitative and quantitative differences. Some of the components identified were present in both investigated species, others were characteristic of one species only.