Essential oil compositions of Teucrium fruticans, T. scordium subsp. scordioides and T. siculum growing in Sicily and Malta

The chemical composition of essential oil from Seseli tortuosum subsp. tortuosum and S. tortuosum subsp. maritimum (Apiaceae) aerial parts growing in Sicily (Italy)

Seseli L. genus, belonging to the Apiaceae family, includes more than eighty taxa, mainly growing in Europe and Asia. Due to the several biological properties, species of this genus have been largely investigated, showing to be a rich source of coumarins, as well as, of essential oils with anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antifungal, cytotoxic, etc. properties. In the present study, the chemical composition of the essential oils from aerial parts of Sicilian accessions of Seseli tortuosum subsp. tortuosum and S. tortuosum subsp. maritimum were analysed by GC-MS. No one report has been previously published on the subsp. maritimum. The results showed the presence, in both oils, of large quantity of monoterpene hydrocarbons. Main metabolites were β-pinene (15.81-19.84%), α-pinene (14.63-18.52%), sylvestrene (11.18-17.45%) and 3-carene (14.58%), the last one being absent in the oil of subsp. maritimum. Chemotaxonomic considerations with respect to other oils of Seseli taxa were carried out.

Chemical composition of the essential oil of Cyanus adscendens (Bartl.) Soják and C. orbelicus (Velen.) Soják growing wild in Bulgaria, and PCA analysis of genus Cyanus Mill

Cyanus Mill. genus, belonging to the Asteraceae family, includes more than 50 taxa, mainly growing in Central and Southern Europe, North Africa, Asia Minor, and the Caucasus. Previous investigations on Cyanus taxa have shown that they are rich source of flavonoids and phenolic compounds but, differently from species of genus Centaurea, almost devoid of sesquiterpene lactones. In the present study, the chemical composition of the essential oils from aerial parts of Cyanus adscendens (CA) and C. orbelicus (CO), collected in Bulgaria, and not previously investigated, was evaluated by GC-MS. The main components of CA were α-bergamotene (31.3%), (Z,Z,Z)-9,12,15-octadecatrien-1-ol (14.5%) and calarenepoxide (11.0%). Caryophyllene oxide (12.0%), together with α-cadinol (10.9%) and spathulenol (8.8%), were recognized as the main constituent of C. orbelicus EO. Furthermore, a complete review on the composition of all essential oils of the Cyanus taxa studied so far has been inserted and cluster analysis (PCA) was carried out.

The chemical composition of the aerial parts of Stachys spreitzenhoferi (Lamiaceae) growing in Kythira Island (Greece), and their antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antiproliferative properties

The Stachys L. genus has been used in traditional medicine to treat skin inflammations, stomach disorders, and stress. The aim of this study was to investigate the chemical profile and biological activity of the methanolic extract of Stachys spreitzenhoferi Heldr. (Lamiaceae) aerial parts, collected on the island of Kythira, South Greece. The analysis by liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization and high-resolution mass spectrometry [LC-(-)ESI/HRMSⁿ] of the methanol extract revealed the occurrence of thirty-six compounds - flavonoids, phenylethanoid glycosides, iridoids, quinic acid derivatives, aliphatic alcohol glycosides, and oligosaccharides - highlighting the substantial presence, as main peaks, of the iridoid melittoside (2) along with flavonoid compounds such as 4'-O-methylisoscutellarein mono-acetyl-diglycoside/chrysoeriol mono-acetyl-diglycoside (24), trimethoxy- (35) and tetramethoxyflavones (36). This extract was tested for its antimicrobial properties against Gram-positive and negative pathogenic strains. The extract was not active against Gram-negative bacteria tested, but it possessed a good dose-dependent antimicrobial activity towards S. aureus (MIC: 1.0 mg/mL) and L. monocytogenes (MIC: 1.0 mg/mL) Gram-(+) strains. Furthermore, this extract has been tested for its possible antioxidant activity in vitro. In particular, it has been shown that these molecules cause a decrease in DPPH, ABTS, and H₂O₂ radicals. The extract of S. spreitzenhoferi exhibited anti-DPPH activity (IC₅₀: 0.17 mg/mL), anti-H₂O₂ activity (IC₅₀: 0.125 mg/mL), and promising antiradical effect with an IC₅₀ value of 0.18 mg/mL for anti-ABTS activity. S. spreitzenhoferi extract caused a decrease in ROS (at the concentration of 200 μg/mL) and an increase in the activity of the antioxidant enzymes SOD, CAT, and GPX in OZ-stimulated PMNs. Furthermore, it exhibited antiproliferative activity against acute myeloid leukemia (U937 cell), causing 50% of cell death at the 0.75 mg/mL.

The complete chloroplast genome of Mediterranean shrub Teucrium fruticans L. (Lamiaceae; Subfam. Lamioideae)

Teucrium fruticans L. is a shrub in Lamiaceae that is native to Mediterranean countries where it is used in medicine ornamental gardens. Here, we report the complete chloroplast genome of T. fruticans which is 150,808 bp in length, with a pair of inverted repeat regions (IRs) (25,597 bp) separated by a large single-copy area (LSC) (82,634 bp) and a small single-copy area (SSC) (16,912 bp). The completed chloroplast genome of T. fruticans comprises 130 unique genes, including 86 protein-coding genes, 36 tRNA genes, and eight rRNA genes. The results of the phylogenetic analysis significantly supported the grouping of T. fruticans with nine Teucrium species. The complete chloroplast genome of T. fruticans can provide a powerful tool to accelerate breeding, biotechnological and phylogenetic study.

Bio-Active Compounds from Teucrium Plants Used in the Traditional Medicine of Kurdistan Region, Iraq

Herbal medicine is still widely practiced in the Kurdistan Region, Iraq, especially by people living in villages in mountainous regions. Seven taxa belonging to the genus Teucrium (family Lamiaceae) are commonly employed in the Kurdish traditional medicine, especially to treat jaundice, stomachache and abdominal problems. We report, in this paper, a comprehensive account about the chemical structures and bioactivities of most representative specialized metabolites isolated from these plants. These findings indicate that Teucrium plants used in the folk medicine of Iraqi Kurdistan are natural sources of specialized metabolites that are potentially beneficial to human health.

Effect of Germacrene-Rich Essential Oil of Parentucellia latifolia (L.) Caruel Collected in Central Sicily on the Growth of Microorganisms Inhabiting Historical Textiles

In the present study, the chemical composition of the essential oil from aerial parts of Parentucellia latifolia (L.) Caruel collected in Central Sicily was analyzed by gas chromatography and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. The results showed the presence of sesquiterpene hydrocarbons, with germacrene D and germacrene B accounting, respectively, for 59.2% and 24.3% of the total oil. Different colonies of bacteria and fungi frequently affect cellulosic objects such as books stored in libraries and museums. The antibacterial and antifungal activity against some microorganisms infesting historical-artistic craftsmanship was determined, demonstrating that the essential oil was particularly active against Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, and Proteus vulgaris.

The chemical composition of essential oil from Seseli bocconei (Apiaceae) aerial parts growing in Sicily (Italy)

Seseli is a large genus of aromatic and economically important herbs of the Apiaceae family that includes eighty-seven taxa, mainly distributed in Europe and Asia. Several species of this genus are extensively used in various popular medicines and based on their traditional uses, much research concerning biological activities have been carried out. In the present study, the chemical composition of the essential oil from aerial parts of Seseli bocconei Guss., a rare plant endemic of Sicily, was analysed by GC-MS. No one report has been previously published on the essential oil of this species. The result showed the presence of large quantity of monoterpene and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons whereas it was practically devoid of oxygenated terpenes. Main metabolites of the oil were germacrene D (18.48%) and sabinene (17.46%). Chemotaxonomic considerations with respect to other oils of Seseli taxa were carried out.

The chemical composition of the aerial parts essential oil of S. spreitzenhoferi Heldr. (Lamiaceae) growing in Kythira island (Greece)

Stachys is a large genus of economically important plants belonging to Lamiaceae family that includes about 300 species as annual or perennial herbs. Several species of this genus are extensively used in various traditional medicines. In the present study the chemical composition of the essential oil from aerial parts of Stachys spreitzenhoferi Heldr., a very rare plant, belonging to Section Candidae, endemic of South Greece and collected in the island of Kythira, was analysed by GC-MS. No one reports have been previously published on this species. The result showed the presence of large quantity of diterpenoids with manoyl oxide (22.1%), as the most abundant component. Other metabolites present in high quantity were trans-nerolidol (18.5%), β-caryophyllene (11.0%) and germacrene D (8.1%). Chemotaxonomic considerations with respect all the other oils of Stachys taxa, belonging to the same section studied so far, were carried out.

Chemical composition and biological activity of essential oil of Teucrium scordium L. subsp. scordioides (Schreb.) Arcang. (Lamiaceae) from Sardinia Island (Italy)

The aim of this study is to demonstrate the antifungal, anti-inflammatory and anti-migratory potential of the essential oil of Teucrium scordium subsp. scordioides (Schreb.) Arcang, a plant widely used in traditional medicine in Sardinia. The oil was rich in germacrene D (25.1%), δ-cadinene (12.9%) and alloaromadendrene (11.3%). The yeast Cryptococcus neoformans and the dermatophytes Trichophyton rubrum, T. mentagrophytes var. interdigitale and Epidermophyton floccosum were the most susceptible fungi to the action of the oil. In lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated macrophages, the oil was able to decrease nitric oxide production by ca. 30% at 1.25 μL/mL, without affecting cell viability. In the scratch wound assay, it allowed for ca. 36% of wound closure after 18 h, thus showing anti-migratory properties. Overall, this study highlights the potential of this species to mitigate fungal infections associated with an inflammatory response. Furthermore, we also reported for the first time its anti-migratory capacity, thus suggesting anticancer properties.

Daucus carota subsp. maximus (Desf.) Ball from Pantelleria, Sicily (Italy): isolation of essential oils and evaluation of their bioactivity

Daucus is a genus of economically important plants belonging to Apiaceae family spread in temperate regions. Species of this genus are used as food and several biological properties have reported. The chemical composition of the essential oils from different organs (roots, stems and flowers) of Daucus carota subsp. maximus, a species not previously investigated, was analyzed by GC-MS. Our results showed the presence of β-phellandrene as the most abundant component of stems and flowers and of γ-terpinene as a major compound of the oil from the roots. Flower essential oil caused a greater increase in the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) in polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) cells compared to stem and root essential oils. The antimicrobial activity of the flower and stem oil were more effective, compared to root oil, against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus.

Dihydrophenanthrenes from a Sicilian Accession of Himantoglossum robertianum (Loisel.) P. Delforge Showed Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, and Antiproliferative Activities

The peculiar aspect that emerges from the study of Orchidaceae is the presence of various molecules, which are particularly interesting for pharmaceutical chemistry due to their wide range of biological resources. The aim of our study was to investigate the properties of two dihydrophenanthrenes, isolated, for the first time, from Himantoglossum robertianum (Loisel.) P. Delforge (Orchidaceae) bulbs and roots. Chemical and spectroscopic study of the bulbs and roots of Himantoglossumrobertianum (Loisel.) P. Delforge resulted in the isolation of two known dihydrophenanthrenes-loroglossol and hircinol-never isolated from this plant species. The structures were evaluated based on ¹H-NMR, ¹³C-NMR, and two-dimensional spectra, and by comparison with the literature. These two molecules have been tested for their possible antioxidant, antimicrobial, antiproliferative, and proapoptotic activities. In particular, it has been shown that these molecules cause an increase in the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione S-transferase (GST) in polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN); show antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, and have anti-proliferative effects on gastric cancer cell lines, inducing apoptosis effects. Therefore, these two molecules could be considered promising candidates for pharmaceutical and nutraceutical preparations.

The chemical composition of the essential oil of Ptilostemon gnaphaloides subsp. pseudofruticosus (Asteraceae) growing in Kythira Island, Greece

Ptilostemon is a small genus of the subtribe Carduinae (Asteraceae) that includes 15 species as annual or perennial herbs or small shrubs, spread in the Mediterranean arch, from Crimea and Turkey to the Iberian Peninsula and Morocco. Several species of this genus have been studied for the content of non-volatile metabolites whereas few investigations have been carried out on their essential oils. In the present study the chemical composition of the essential oil from aerial parts of Ptilostemon gnaphaloides subsp. pseudofruticosus, belonging to Section Ptilostemon, endemic of South Greece and Turkey, and collected in the island of Kythira, was analyzed by GC-MS. The result showed the presence of large quantity of sesquiterpene hydrocarbons with germacrene D (20.0%) as the most abundant component, followed by (E)-caryophyllene (6.8%). Among the other metabolites hexacosane (29.1%) and manoyl oxide (12.1%) were the most abundant.

The chemical composition of the aerial parts essential oil of Acinos alpinus subsp. nebrodensis (Lamiaceae) growing in Sicily (Italy)

Acinos is a small genus of economically important plants belonging to Lamiaceae family whose botanical collocation is quite problematic due to the disagreement among the botanists and the presence in literature of several names and synonyms from different sources. In the present study the chemical composition of the essential oil from aerial parts of Acinos alpinus subsp. nebrodensis (Strobl) Brullo & Brullo collected in Central Sicily was analyzed by GC-MS. The result showed the presence of large quantity of sesquiterpene hydrocarbons with germacrene D (37.9%) as the most abundant component followed by (E)-β-caryophyllene (5.1%). Among the oxygenated monoterpenes thymol (8.3%) was the most abundant; good quantity of hexadecanoic acid (6.8%) was also observed. Chemotaxonomic considerations with respect all the other oils of Acinos taxa, studied so far, were carried out.

The Application of the Essential Oils of Thymus vulgaris L. and Crithmum maritimum L. as Biocidal on Two Tholu Bommalu Indian Leather Puppets

The chemical profile of the Thymus vulgaris (Lamiaceae) essential oil (EO) was investigated in order to evaluate its biological properties against microorganisms affecting two Tholu Bommalu, typical Indian leather puppets stored at the International Puppets Museum "Antonio Pasqualino" of Palermo, Italy. A GC-MS analysis, using both polar and apolar columns, was used to determine the chemical composition of the essential oil. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial effectiveness of the Thymus vulgaris and Crithmum maritimum essential oils in vapor phase to disinfect heritage leather puppets. Pieces of leather artifacts that were affected by different bacterial colonies were exposed to EO under vacuum and static evaporation conditions. The results presented showed that the vaporization of essential oil was an efficient method in the disinfection of natural skins, eradicating microorganism in short times. T. vulgaris EO in the 50% solution showed excellent inhibitory activity against isolated bacteria with both methods, but the obtained results suggest that the vacuum method allowed for faster exposition of the artifacts to the biocide. Furthermore, the biocidal properties of the essential oil of a Sicilian accession of Crithmum maritimum (Apiaceae) aerial parts were compared and investigated. The results of the latter essential oil showed a poor activity against the isolated micro-organisms.

Characterization of Essential Oils from Different Taxa Belonging to the Genus Teucrium in Sardinia Island, Italy

The genus Teucrium L. (Lamiaceae) is a genus growing in mild climate zones, particularly in the Mediterranean Basin and Central Asia. It is represented by 11 taxa in Sardinia (Italy), living commonly in sunny habitats. In this study, the following eight Sardinian Teucrium taxa were selected, and the essential oils (EOs), obtained by stem distillation, were analyzed by GC–FID and GC–MS: T. capitatum subsp. capitatum, T. chamaedrys subsp. chamaedrys, T. flavum subsp. glaucum, T. marum, T. massiliense, T. scordium subsp. scordioides, T. scorodonia, and T. subspinosum. The comprehensive analyses led to the identification of 87 constituents representing the majority of the volatile compounds. Significant differences, both qualitative and quantitative, were observed between the taxa. Overall, monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes characterized all Teucrium EOs: T. capitatum subsp. capitatum and T. flavum subsp. glaucum revealed the highest content of monoterpene hydrocarbons, while in the other Teucrium taxa sesquiterpene hydrocarbons prevailed. Worthy of note, diterpenes were found only in T. marum and T. subspinosum, whereas T. massiliense was rich in non-terpenic oxygenated compounds. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first comprehensive report on the chemical composition of EOs obtained from Sardinian Teucrium species.

The chemical composition of the flowers essential oil of Inula crithmoides (Asteraceae) growing in aeolian islands, Sicily (Italy) and its biocide properties on microorganisms affecting historical art crafts

Essential oils have been used for a long time in several fields of interest. Recently, they have also been applied in the conservation of Cultural Heritage to contrast biodeterioration replacing the most current biocides toxic for humans and environment. Inula crithmoides L. (syn. Limbarda crithmoides (L.) Dumort) is a halophyte species distributed along the Mediterranean coasts and it is used as an edible vegetable since the young leaves or shoots are eaten raw or cooked. Several biological properties have been determined for this plant including antimicrobial activities. In this study the volatile composition of the aerial part of an accession from the Aeolian Islands, Sicily (Italy) is described. Furthermore, the in vitro antibacterial assay against four species of bacteria isolated from a XX century Tholu Bhommalu, a leather painted puppet from Andhra Pradesh (India), was showed by the Agar disc diffusion method.

A Review of the Phytochemistry, Traditional Uses and Biological Activities of the Essential Oils of Genus Teucrium

The genus Teucrium is a large and polymorphic genus of the Lamiaceae family distributed in mild climate zones, particularly in the Mediterranean basin and Central Asia. Studies of nonvolatile constituents of Teucrium species showed that they are a rich source of neo-clerodane diterpenoids, considered as chemotaxonomic markers of the genus. In addition to the nonvolatile metabolites, there has been a large interest in the essential oils of this genus. In this review, a complete survey of the chemical composition and biological properties of the essential oils isolated from Teucrium taxa is provided. In traditional medicine, since ancient times, species of this genus have been widely implemented for their biological properties, including antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, insecticidal, anti-malaria, etc. Therefore, a complete review of all of the traditional uses of Teucrium taxa are also reported.

The Essential Oil Compositions of Three Teucrium Taxa Growing Wild in Sicily: HCA and PCA Analyses

The chemical composition and the qualitative and quantitative variability of the essential oils of three taxa belonging to the Teucrium genus were studied. The investigated taxa, that grow wild in Sicily, were Teucrium flavum L. (section Chamaedrys (Mill.) Scheb.), Teucrium montanum and Teucrium capitatum L. of section Polium (Mill.) Scheb. Essential oils were extracted by hydrodistillation and analyzed by GC-MS. In total, 74 compounds were identified. Sesquiterpene hydrocarbons were found to be the main group for T. flavum (48.3%). T. capitatum consisted essentially of monoterpene hydrocarbons (72.7%), with α-pinene (19.9%), β-pinene (27.6%) and sylvestrene (16.6%) as the most abundant compounds whereas ledene oxide (12.1%), epiglobulol (13.5%) and longifolenaldehyde (14.5%) were identified as the main constituents among the oxygenated sesquiterpenes (63.5%) of T. montanum. Furthermore, a complete literature review on the composition of the essential oils of all the other accessions of these Teucrium taxa, studied so far, was performed. Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA) and Principal Component Analyses (PCA) were used in order to demonstrate geographical variations in the composition of the essential oils.

Plant Natural Sources of the Endocannabinoid (E)-β-Caryophyllene: A Systematic Quantitative Analysis of Published Literature

(E)-β-caryophyllene (BCP) is a natural sesquiterpene hydrocarbon present in hundreds of plant species. BCP possesses several important pharmacological activities, ranging from pain treatment to neurological and metabolic disorders. These are mainly due to its ability to interact with the cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2) and the complete lack of interaction with the brain CB1. A systematic analysis of plant species with essential oils containing a BCP percentage > 10% provided almost 300 entries with species belonging to 51 families. The essential oils were found to be extracted from 13 plant parts and samples originated from 56 countries worldwide. Statistical analyses included the evaluation of variability in BCP% and yield% as well as the statistical linkage between families, plant parts and countries of origin by cluster analysis. Identified species were also grouped according to their presence in the Belfrit list. The survey evidences the importance of essential oil yield evaluation in support of the chemical analysis. The results provide a comprehensive picture of the species with the highest BCP and yield percentages.