title: Influence of environmental factors on composition of volatile constituents and biological activity of Helichrysum italicum (Roth) Don (Asteraceae).
abstract: The biovariability of Helichrysum italicum (Roth) Don grown wild in Calabria and Sardinia (Italy) was reported. This species has been characterized through the detection, isolation and quantitative evaluation of chemical markers (alpha-terpinolene, trans-cariophyllene and neryl acetate) by GC and GC-MS. Antioxidant activity of the methanolic H. italicum extracts using DPPH and beta-carotene bleaching test showed that the Calabrian samples were more active than those from Sardinia. The antibacterial activity of all extracts evidenced the best performance on the Gram positive bacteria particularly on Micrococcus luteus. Moreover, antifungal activity of all extracts was also tested evidencing important results particularly on the phytopathogene fungus Pythium ultimum. In general, as regards the antifungal activity, the extracts from Sardinia were more active than those from Calabria. The phytochemical analysis and the biological activity data suggested a possible use of these plant matrices in alimentary, cosmetic and pharmaceutical fields.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche, Università della Calabria, via Pietro Bucci, I-87036 Rende (CS), Italy.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tundis
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Statti
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Conforti
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bianchi
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Agrimonti
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sacchetti
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Muzzoli
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ballero
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Menichini
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Poli
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology; D004777:Environment; D036562:Helichrysum / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000502:physiology; D007558:Italy; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000935:Antifungal Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D009822:Oils, Volatile; D010936:Plant Extracts