Salvia broussonetii Benth.: aroma profile and micromorphological analysis

The volatile profiles (VOC) and the essential oil (EO) composition from the aerial parts of Salvia broussonetii were analysed. Sesquiterpene hydrocarbons dominate the VOCs from leaves (95.7%) and flowers (67.6%), followed by monoterpene hydrocarbons (2.6 and 29.7%, respectively). The main common compounds are germacrene D, β-bourbonene, α-pinene, α-copaene and α-gurjunene, even if with divergent relative abundances. In the leaf EOs the sesquiterpenes prevail, even if not overwhelmingly (about 50.0%), followed by monoterpenes (23.0–35.0%) and by minor fractions of diterpene hydrocarbons and non-terpene derivates. The most abundant common compounds across the two sampling periods are α-pinene, β-pinene, isobornyl acetate, α-gurjenene, germacrene D and bifloratriene. A morphological characterisation of the trichomes responsible for the productivity in terpenes was also performed. Four different morphotypes were observed on the above ground organs of S. brussonetii: peltates and capitates of type II and III resulted the only producers of volatile substances.     

Dynamic capillary diffusion system for monoterpene and sesquiterpene calibration: quantitative measurement and determination of physical properties

This article describes a method for preparation of low concentration gas standard mixtures of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) emitted primarily by plants. A set of 10 plant volatiles including α-pinene, β-pinene, 3-carene, linalool, methyl salicylate, α-cedrene, β-caryophyllene, β-farnesene, aromadendrene and α-humulene was used in the study. Gas standard mixture of these compounds was generated using a capillary diffusion system (CDS). Diffusion coefficient (D) and saturation vapour pressure (p _s) data of these compounds were calculated from experimentally determined gas chromatographic retention indices (RI) and empirical relationships between D and p _s versus RI. A comparison of the calculated and measured concentrations of investigated compounds has proved that designed CDS can be successfully used for the proper quantification of BVOCs.     

Accelerated solid-phase dynamic extraction for the analysis of biogenic volatile organic compounds in air

In this study, accelerated solid phase dynamic extraction (ASPDE) technique was used to identify biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) emitted from Norway spruce (Picea abies). Compounds that were determined in tree samples are: tricycylene, α-pinene, camphene, β-pinene, myrcene, 3-carene, p-cymene, limonene, cineole, α-phellandrene, α-terpinene, γ-terpinene and terpinolene. ASPDE showed a potential for the analysis of environmental samples as well as for field applications. This technique was further studied by using a gaseous mixture of BVOCs (sabinene, α-pinene, β-pinene, limonene, linalool, and (Z)-hexenyl acetate) and exhibited a good repeatability during all the experiments in the range of 2.5% (α-pinene) and 14.6% (linalool). However, during the analysis of samples it was observed that desorption at high temperature (230°C) can lead to the formation of artifacts, which were not observed at the desorption temperature of 100°C. Further experimental investigations revealed that monoterpenes appeared as unanticipated compounds during desorption of ASPDE samples; these compounds were degradation products of linalool.     

Essential oils Constituents of the leaves of Amomum gagnepainii and Amomum repoense

The chemical constituents identified in the essential oils hydrodistilled from the leaves of Amomum gagnepainii T.L.Wu, K.Larsen and Turland and Amomum repoense Pierre ex Gagnep (Zingiberaceae) of Vietnam origin are reported. The chemical analyses were performed by means of gas chromatography–flame ionisation detector (GC-FID) and gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The main compounds of A. gagnepainii were farnesyl acetate (18.5%), zerumbone (16.4%) and β-caryophyllene (10.5%). On the other hand, Amomum repoense comprised of monoterpenes dominated by β-pinene (33.5%), (E)-β-ocimene (9.6%), γ-terpinene (9.1%) and α-pinene (8.4%). This is the first report on the essential oils of A. gagnepainii and A. repoense grown in Vietnam or elsewhere.     

Volatile constituents of Amomum maximum Roxb and Amomum microcarpum C. F. Liang & D. Fang: two Zingiberaceae grown in Vietnam

The chemical composition of essential oils obtained from the hydrodistillation of different parts of Amomum maximum Roxb and Amomum muricarpum C. F. Liang & D. Fang (Zingiberaceae) grown in Vietnam are reported. The analysis was performed by means of gas chromatography–flame ionisation detectoorand gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. The major compounds identified in the oils of A. maximum were β-pinene (20.4–40.8%), α-pinene (6.8–15.0%), β-elemene (2.5–12.8%) and β-caryophyllene (2.3–10.3%). Moreover, β-phellandrene (11.6%) was present in the root oil. The main compound identified in all the oil samples of A. muricarpum was α-pinene (24.1–54.7%) and β-pinene (9.2–25.9%). In addition, limonene (7.4%) and δ-3-carene (9.4%) were present in the leaves and stem oils, respectively. However, while β-phellandrene (8.3%) could be seen prominent in the root oil, the fruits contained significant amount of zingiberene (6.3%). The largest amount of τ-muurolol (13.0%) was found in the flower oil.     

Seasonal variation of volatile oil composition and antioxidant property of aerial parts of Syzygium paniculatum Gaertn. grown in the Eastern Cape,South Africa

Syzygium paniculatum Gaertn of the family Myrtaceae is a medicinal and aromatic plant. The hydrodistilled volatile oil (VO) from the aerial parts was characterised by GC-MS and Kovat’s index, while the antioxidant property was investigated using spectrophotometric techniques. Antioxidant capacities of the aerial parts VOs range from 0.12 to 0.93?mg/mL in scavenging 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radicals (DPPH^?). Overall, 75 and 67 compounds were identified from the summer and winter VOs, respectively. The main compounds were α-pinene (33.13%), n-hexadecanoic acid (19.14%), limonene (14.26%), farnesol (14.21%), β-ocimene (13.04%), citronellol (12.67%), linoleic acid (11.50%), octahydro-1,4-dimethyl azulene (11.57%), citral (9.91%), phytol (5.07%), linolenic acid (4.85%) and thymol (2.23%). The bioavailability of citronellol, thymol, β-ocimene and linoleic acid, used as bactericidal, fungicidal and antioxidant agents in cosmetics and perfumery, suggests S. paniculatum potential as a natural food flavouring and source of antibiotics in this era of emerging multi-drug-resistant pathogens.     

Comparative analysis in different organs and tissue-specific metabolite profiling of Atractylodes lancea from four regions by GC–MS and laser microdissection

Traditional Chinese medicine is made from the rhizome of Atractylodes lancea (Thunb.) DC. (Compositae), known as Cangzhu. In this study, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to identify and quantify the volatile oils of different organs of A. lancea from four regions of China: Jiangsu, Anhui, Henan, and Hubei provinces. The volatile oils of A. lancea were qualitatively and quantitatively characterized using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry combined with laser microdissection. The results identified 21 components in A. lancea, the majority of the components were found in the rhizomes, followed by the fibrous roots, flowers, leaves, and stems. According to the contents of volatile oils in A. lancea, it was divided into Dabieshan (mainly includes hinesol and β-eudesmol) and Maoshan types (mainly includes atractylon and atractylodin), and the ratios of hinesol:β-eudesmol:atractylon:atractylodin were 17.06:4.55:0:1, 12.66:11.71:0.99:1, 7.43:6.23:0:1, and 0.13:0.16:1.52:1 in A. lancea from AH, HN, HB, and JS, respectively. Tissue-specific study indicated that Dabieshan type mainly includes elemol, hinesol, and β-eudesmol in the periderm and secretory cavities of A. lancea, whereas Maoshan type mainly includes atractylon, atractylodin, little hinesol, and β-eudesmol in the secretory cavities. Conversely, no volatile oils were detected in the cortex, phloem, xylem, vascular ray, or pith. This study provides a foundation for further evaluation and utilization of A. lancea.     

Chemotypes of essential oil of unripe galls of Pistacia atlantica Desf. from Algeria

The essential oils (EOs) of unripe galls (from male and female plants) of a total number of 52 samples of Pistacia atlantica collected from different regions in Algeria were analysed by GC/MS and GC. The yields of the extraction of the EO by hydrodistillation vary from low to high values (0.08–1.89% v/w). The results of both methods of principal component analysis and hierarchical ascendant classification revealed the presence of two different chemotypes: α-pinene chemotype and α-pinene/sabinene/terpinen-4-ol chemotype.     

Headspace Solid Phase Microextraction for Terpenes and Volatile Compounds Determination in Mastic Gum Extracts,Mastic Oil and Human Urine by GC– MS

A reliable analytical method was developed, which is based on Headspace Solid Phase Microextraction (HS-SPME) and Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) for the detection of volatile components of the gum and the essential oil of Pistacia lentiscus var. chia, commonly known as mastic gum and mastic oil respectively. The conditions of the HS-SPME were optimized and aqueous-ethanolic extracts of mastic gum and solutions of mastic oil in ethanol-water were analyzed by GC-MS. Almost 26 volatile components in mastic gum and 34 in mastic oil were identified in the gum and the oil respectively. The major constituents of the mastic gum and the mastic oil were α-pinene (63% and 76%, respectively), β-myrcene (15% and 14%), β-pinene (4% and 4%), limonene (2.5% and 1.5%), and caryophyllene (5% and 1%). The quantitative determination of six of the aforementioned substances in multi-analyte standard solutions was achieved with good performance features. The repeatability (RSD%) was <4.2% and the limits of detection were 1.2 µg/L for α-pinene, 0.09 µg/L for β-pinene, 0.7 µg/L for β-myrcene, 0.02 µg/L for camphene, 0.02 µg/L for p-cymene, and 0.07 µg/L for α-terpineol. The HS-SPME/GC-MS procedure was successfully applied to samples of human urine samples after dietetic use of various mastic products such as mastic gum, mastic oil and Greek traditional highly viscous white mastic sweet. Traces of several constituents of mastic, such as α-pinene, β-myrcene, limonene, p-methyl anisole, terpinene, carveol, myrtenol, caryophyllene, α-caryophyllene, and so forth, were detected in the collected urine samples.     

Effects of gamma irradiation on the yields of volatile extracts of Angelica gigas Nakai

The study was carried out to determine the effects of gamma irradiation on the volatile flavor components including essential oils, of Angelica gigas Nakai. The volatile organic compounds from non- and irradiated A. gigas Nakai at doses of 1, 3, 5, 10 and 20 kGy were extracted by a simultaneous steam distillation and extraction (SDE) method and identified by GC/MS analysis. A total of 116 compounds were identified and quantified from non- and irradiated A. gigas Nakai. The major volatile compounds were identified 2,4,6-trimethyl heptane, α-pinene, camphene, α-limonene, β-eudesmol, α-murrolene and sphatulenol. Among these compounds, the amount of essential oils in non-irradiated sample were 77.13%, and the irradiated samples at doses of 1, 3, 5, 10 and 20 kGy were 84.98%, 83.70%, 83.94%, 82.84% and 82.58%, respectively. Oxygenated terpenes such as β-eudesmol, α-eudesmol, and verbenone were increased after irradiation but did not correlate with the irradiation dose. The yields of active substances such as essential oil were increased after irradiation; however, the yields of essential oils and the irradiation dose were not correlated. Thus, the profile of composition volatiles of A. gigas Nakai did not change with irradiation.     

Chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of the essential oils from flowers and leaves of Grindelia integrifolia DC

Essential oils from flowers and leaves of Grindelia integrifolia DC. were investigated for the first time in terms of chemical composition and antimicrobial activity. The GC-FID/MS analysis allowed for the identification of 58 and 72 volatiles, comprising 92.4 and 90.1% of the oils, respectively. The major components of the flower oil were α-pinene (34.9%) and limonene (13.1%), while myrcene (16.9%), spathulenol (12.3%), β-eudesmol (11.9%) and limonene (10.1%) dominated among the leaf volatiles. The antimicrobial activity, evaluated against 12 selected bacteria and fungus, was found moderate, with the strongest effect of both oils observed against C. albicans (MIC = MBC: 0.63 and 0.31 mg/mL for flower and leaf oil, respectively).     

Phenolic profile,antioxidant capacity and anti-inflammatory activity of Anethum graveolens L. essential oil

This study reports the chemical composition, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of Anethum graveolens essential oil and its main compounds. The essential oil was obtained from the aerial parts of the plant by hydrodistillation and analysed by using GC/MS. α-Phellandrene (19.12%), limonene (26.34%), dill ether (15.23%), sabinene (11.34%), α-pinene (2%), n-tetracosane (1.54%), neophytadiene (1.43%), n-docosane (1.04), n-tricosane (1%), n-nonadecane (1%), n-eicosane (0.78%), n-heneicosane (0.67%), β-myrcene (0.23%) and α-tujene (0.21%) were found to be the major constituents of the oil. A. graveolens oil exhibit a higher activity in each antioxidant system with a special attention for β-carotene bleaching test (IC₅₀: 15.3 μg/mL) and reducing power (EC₅₀: 11.24 μg/mL). The TLC-bioautography screening and fractionation resulted in the separation of the main antioxidant compounds, which were identified as limonene (45%) and sabinene (32%). The essential oil and its main compounds exhibited a potent NO-scavenging effect and inhibited the expression of inducible NO synthase.     

Chemical investigations of male and female leaf extracts from Schinus molle L.

The pepper-tree Schinus molle is an evergreen ornamental plant with various and diversified list of medical uses. In this article we analysed the chemical composition of male and female leaves of this plant during the off-flowering and flowering seasons. The leaf extracts were obtained by using a sequential extraction with solvents of different polarities and the chemical composition was investigated by GC-MS. The results showed a total of twenty-three components, in which elemol is the most abundant constituent followed by bicyclogermacrene, γ-eudesmol, α-eudesmol, β-eudesmol and isocalamendiol. The petroleum ether and diethyl ether extracts from male and female flowering and off-flowering leaves consisted of sesquiterpene hydrocarbons as a major constituent followed by monoterpene hydrocarbons, while the acetone extracts showed a different composition. The obtained results show differences in the chemical composition between male and female and flowering and not flowering.     

Determination of volatile organic compounds in the dried leaves of Salvia species by solid-phase microextraction coupled to gas chromatography mass spectrometry

Salvia spp. are used throughout the world both for food and pharmaceutical purposes. In this study, a method involving headspace solid-phase microextraction combined with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry was developed, to establish the volatiles profile of dried leaves of four Iranian Salvia spp.: Salvia officinalis L., Salvia leriifolia Benth, Salvia macrosiphon Boiss. and two ecotypes of Salvia reuterana Boiss. A total of 95 volatiles were identified from the dried leaves of the five selected samples. Specifically, α-thujone was the main component of S. officinalis L. and S. macrosiphon Boiss. (34.40 and 17.84%, respectively) dried leaves, S. leriifolia Benth was dominated by β-pinene (27.03%), whereas α-terpinene was the major constituent of the two ecotypes of S. reuterana Boiss. (21.67 and 13.84%, respectively). These results suggested that the proposed method can be considered as a reliable technique for isolating volatiles from aromatic plants, and for plant differentiation based on the volatile metabolomic profile.     

Comparative study of composition and biological activities of SDE prepared essential oils from flowers and fruits of two Hypericum species from central Iran

Essential oil (EO) compositions of flowers and fruits of Hypericum perforatum L. and Hypericum scabrum L. growing wild in Kashan, central Iran, were determined by simultaneous steam distillation-solvent extraction method and analysed using GC-MS technique. Analysis revealed 28 identified compounds for H. perforatum, with two main components being α-pinene (25.36%) and α-amorphene (12.12%). Thirty-five compounds were identified in H. scabrum L. representing 98.60% of the oil with α-pinene (70.21%) and p-mentha-1,5-dien-8-ol (2.89%) as main components. Some new compounds were found in significant quantities which were not found in other chemotypes. The antioxidant activities of the EOs evaluated for the first time in this study using β-carotene bleaching and DPPH assays seemed to be attributed directly to α-pinene contents in them. Antibacterial activities of both mentioned EOs were higher than that of their main constituent, α-pinene, against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli.     

Chemical composition and α-amylase inhibitory activity of the essential oil from Sabina chinensis cv. Kaizuca leaves

Sabina chinensis cv. Kaizuca (SCK) is a variant of S. chinensis L. The essential oil from its leaves exhibited α-amylase inhibitory activity in vitro and the IC₅₀ value was 187.08 ± 0.56 μg/mL. Nineteen compounds were identified from this essential oil by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. The major compounds identified were bornyl acetate (42.6%), elemol (20.5%), β-myrcene (13.7%) and β-linalool (4.0%). In order to study the reason of the α-amylase inhibitory activity of this essential oil, the identified compounds were docked with α-amylase by molecular docking individually. Among these compounds, γ-eudesmol exhibited the lowest binding energy (?6.73 kcal/mol), followed by α-copaen-11-ol (?6.66 kcal/mol), cubedol (?6.39 kcal/mol) and α-acorenol (?6.12 kcal/mol). The results indicated that these compounds were the active ingredients responsible for the α-amylase inhibitory activity of essential oil from SCK.     

Chemical composition of the essential oil from the leaves of Anaxagorea brevipes (Annonaceae) and evaluation of its bioactivity

The essential oil obtained by hydrodistillation from leaves of Anaxagorea brevipes was analysed by gas chromatography fitted with a flame ionisation detector (GC–FID) and coupled to mass spectrometry (GC–MS). Thirty one components were identified, representing around 75.7% of total oil. The major components were β-eudesmol (13.16%), α-eudesmol (13.05%), γ-eudesmol (7.54%), guaiol (5.12%), caryophyllene oxide (4.18%) and β-bisabolene (4.10%). The essential oil showed antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacteria and yeast with the MIC values between 25.0 and 100 μg/mL. The highest antiproliferative activity was observed for the oil against MCF-7 (breast, TGI = 12.8 μg/mL), NCI-H460 (lung, TGI = 13.0 μg/mL) and PC-3 (prostate, TGI = 9.6 μg/mL) cell lines, while against no cancer cell line HaCat (keratinocyte) the TGI was 38.8 μg/mL. The oil exhibited a small antioxidant activity assessed through ORAC-FL assay (517 μmol TE/g). This is the first report regarding the chemical composition and bioactivity of A. brevipes essential oil.     

Seasonal variation in the chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of volatile oils of three species of Leptospermum (Myrtaceae) grown in Brazil

This study investigates the seasonal variation of three species of Leptospermum (Myrtaceae) grown in Brazil. The chemical composition of the volatile oils of L. flavescens and L. petersonii did not show any significant seasonal variation in the major components, while for Leptospermum madidum subsp. sativum the levels of major constituents of the volatile oils varied with the harvest season. Major fluctuations in the composition of L. madidum subsp. sativum oil included α-pinene (0-15.2%), β-pinene (0.3-18.5%), α-humulene (0.8-30%), 1,8-cineole (0.4-7.1%) and E-caryophyllene (0.4-11.9%). Levels of β-pinene (0.3-5.6%), terpinen-4-ol (4.7-7.2%) and nerolidol (55.1-67.6%) fluctuated seasonally in the L. flavescens oil. In L. petersonii, changes were noted for geranial (29.8-32.8%), citronellal (26.5-33.9%) and neral (22.7-23.5%). The activity of the volatile oils against the tested bacteria differed, depending on season the oils were obtained. In general, the volatile oils were more active against Gram-positive bacteria.     

Composition of essential oils from four Apiaceae and Asteraceae species growing in Uzbekistan

The chemical composition of essential oils isolated from the aerial parts of Heracleum lehmannianum, Prangos pabularia, Pseudohandelia umbellifera and Pulicaria salviifolia, all of them growing in Uzbekistan, were determined by GC-MS analysis. The main components of the oil from H. lehmannianum were α-phellandrene (10.5%), 1-butanol (9.0%), δ-cadinene (6.2%), α-cadinol (5.7%), τ-muurolol (3.1%), 4-terpineol (2.4%) and α-muurolene (2.6%), while cis-allo-ocimene (17.6%), δ-3-carene (14.2%), limonene (7.6%), 2,4,6-trimethylbenzaldehyde (6.8%), α-terpinolene (6.1%), β-ocimene (4.3%), α-ocimene (4.2%), α-phellandrene (4.2%) were the major oil components in P. pabularia, and borneol (4.4%), t-cadinol (4.1%), α-humulene oxide (4.0%), caryophyllene oxide (3.6%), bornyl chloride (3.1%), β-pinene (2.9%) in P. umbellifera. The essential oil of P. salviifolia had a much more complex composition which was dominated by 4-terpineol (13.4%), α-cadinol (5.7%), 6-epi-shyobunol (5.2%), γ-terpinene (5.0%), δ-cadinene (4.4%), α-terpinene (3.5%).     

Anodized aluminum wire as a solid-phase microextraction fiber for rapid determination of volatile constituents in medicinal plant

Headspace solid phase microextraction using anodized aluminum fiber in combination with capillary GC–MS was utilized as monitoring technique for the collection and detection of the volatile compounds of Echinophora platyloba DC. Experimental parameters, including the sample weight, extraction temperature, extraction time and humidity effect, desorption time and desorption temperature were examined and optimized. Using HS-SPME followed by GC–MS, 53 compounds were separated and identified in E. platyloba DC, which mainly included E-β ocimene (47.63%), R-D-decalactone (13.28%), α-pinene (7.43%) and nonane (6.71%). Compared with hydrodistillation (HD), HS-SPME, provides the advantages of a small amount of sample, timesaving, simplicity and cheapness. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on using anodized aluminum fiber in solid-phase microextraction coupled to headspace for the investigation of volatile fraction of medicinal plant.