The essential oil constituents and antimicrobial activity of Anthemis aciphylla BOISS. var. discoidea BOISS

The essential oil of aerial parts, leaves and flowers of the endemic Anthemis aciphylla BOISS. var. discoidea BOISS. (Asteraceae) were obtained by hydrodistillation. The oils were analyzed both by GC and GC-MS on a polar column. The monoterpenes alpha-pinene (9-49%) and terpinen-4-ol (22-32%) were characterized as the main constituents. An unknown component isolated from the essential oil was characterized by means of MS, HR-MS, FT-IR, 1D- and 2D-NMR techniques as isofaurinone (1). Furthermore, the biological activity of the essential oils was evaluated in various human pathogenic microorganisms using the broth microdilution method. Weak to moderate inhibitions (0.06-1.0 mg/ml) was observed.