Chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of essential oils from Centaurea pannonica and C. jacea.
The chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of the essential oils obtained by hydrodistillation from Centaurea pannonica (Heufel) Simonkai and C. jacea L. (Asteraceae), were investigated. The essential oils were analyzed by GC and GC-MS. Forty five and twenty nine compounds were identified in the two oils, respectively. C. pannonica oil was rich in fatty acids (43.7%), with 9-octadecanoic acid (34.0%) and (Z,Z)-9,12-octadecadienoic acid (8.6%) as the major compounds. In contrast, the essential oil of C. jacea was dominated by oxygenated sesquiterpenes (43.2%), among which caryophyllene oxide (23.5%) and spathulenol (8.9%) were the major constituents. However, the oil was also characterized by an important fatty acid fraction (15.5%), with 9-octadecanoic acid (8.9%) and hexadecanoic acid (6.6%) being the main components. The antimicrobial activities of the essential oils were evaluated by the microdilution method against three Gram-positive and three Gram-negative bacteria, and one yeast. Both oils exhibited significant antimicrobial activity, especially against Gram-positive bacteria.
Department of Pharmacognosy & Chemistry of Natural Products, School of Pharmacy, University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, Zografou, 157 71 Athens, Greece.
Tanja
T
Milosević
Catherine
C
Argyropoulou
Slavica
S
Solujić
Dragana
D
Murat-Spahić
Helen
H
Skaltsa
D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D031179:Centaurea / Q000737:chemistry*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification
D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D009822:Oils, Volatile