title: Supercritical CO₂ extraction of volatile oils from Sardinian Foeniculum vulgare ssp. vulgare (Apiaceae): chemical composition and biological activity.
abstract: This article reports the results on the composition and antifungal effect of volatile extracts obtained from the aerial parts of Sardinian wild fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.), by supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) and by hydrodistillation (HD). The extracts were analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry for qualitative composition and gas chromatography-flame ionisation detector to establish the percentage of constituents. The main components were fenchone (7.1% vs. 8.8%), estragole (34.9% vs. 42.6%) and (E)-anethole (24.6% vs. 43.4%) in the SFE and HD extract, respectively. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were measured according to the reference Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) broth macrodilution protocols. Minimum lethal concentrations were determined by subsequent subculturing of the same cell suspensions in solid medium. The essential oil was more active against Candida albicans, whereas the supercritical fluid extract possesses higher activity against Candida guillermondii and Cryptococcus neoformans, with MIC values of 0.32 μL/mL.
authors.affiliation: a Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche e Geologiche , Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria di Monserrato , SP Monserrato-Sestu km 0,700, 09042 Monserrato , Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Piras
authors.forename: Danilo
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Falconieri
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Porcedda
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Marongiu
authors.forename: Maria José
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Gonçalves
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cavaleiro
authors.forename: Ligia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Salgueiro
mesh_terms: D000081248:Allylbenzene Derivatives; D000840:Anisoles / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019661:Apiaceae / Q000737:chemistry; D001892:Camphanes; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000187:drug effects; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry*; D025924:Chromatography, Supercritical Fluid; D003455:Cryptococcus neoformans / Q000187:drug effects; D030001:Foeniculum / Q000737:chemistry*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D009636:Norbornanes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000081248:Allylbenzene Derivatives; D000840:Anisoles; D000935:Antifungal Agents; D001892:Camphanes; D009636:Norbornanes; D009822:Oils, Volatile; C027327:fenchone; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; C007633:estragole; C006578:anethole
keywords: Foeniculum vulgare; antifungal activity; essential oil; supercritical carbon dioxide extract