title: Variability of chemical composition and antioxidant activity of essential oils between Myrtus communis var. Leucocarpa DC and var. Melanocarpa DC.
abstract: Essential oils (EOs) from several individuals of Myrtus communis L. (M. communis) growing in different habitats in Sardinia have been studied. The analyses were focused on four groups of samples, namely cultivated and wild M. communis var. melanocarpa DC, characterized by red/purple berries, and cultivated and wild M. communis var. leucocarpa DC, characterized by white berries. Qualitative and quantitative analyses demonstrated different EO fingerprints among the studied samples: cultivated and wild leucocarpa variety differs mainly from the melanocarpa variety by a high amount of myrtenyl acetate (>200 mg/mL and 0.4 mg/mL in leucocarpa and melanocarpa varieties respectively). Conversely, the wild group is characterized by a higher amount, compared with the cultivated species, of linalool (about 110 mg/mL and 20 mg/mL respectively), linalyl acetate (about 24 mg/mL and about 6 mg/mL respectively) whereas EOs of the cultivated plants were rich in pinocarveol-cis compared with wild plants (about 2 mg/mL and about 0.5 mg/mL respectively). Principal component analysis applied to the chromatographic data confirm a differentiation and classification of EOs from the four groups of M. communis plants. Finally, antioxidant activity of the studied EOs shows differences between the various categories of samples.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Sassari, 07100, Italy.
authors.forename: Giacomo Luigi
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Petretto
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Sassari, 07100, Italy.
authors.forename: Mariateresa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maldini
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Sassari, 07100, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Addis
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Sassari, 07100, Italy.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chessa
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Sassari, 07100, Italy.
authors.forename: Marzia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Foddai
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK.
authors.forename: Jonathan P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Rourke
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Sassari, 07100, Italy. Electronic address: pintore@uniss.it.
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pintore
mesh_terms: D000080462:Acyclic Monoterpenes; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D000081008:Bicyclic Monoterpenes; D001713:Biphenyl Compounds / Q000737:chemistry; D005609:Free Radicals / Q000737:chemistry; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D039821:Monoterpenes / Q000032:analysis; D031651:Myrtus / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000254:growth & development; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D010851:Picrates / Q000737:chemistry; D035261:Plant Components, Aerial / Q000737:chemistry; D025341:Principal Component Analysis
chemical_list: D000080462:Acyclic Monoterpenes; D000975:Antioxidants; D000081008:Bicyclic Monoterpenes; D001713:Biphenyl Compounds; D005609:Free Radicals; D039821:Monoterpenes; D009822:Oils, Volatile; D010851:Picrates; C534320:6,6-dimethyl-2-methylenebicyclo(3.1.1)heptan-3-ol; C074463:linalyl acetate; C018584:linalool; C004931:1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl
keywords: Cultivated plants; Myrtenyl acetate; PCA; White berries; Wild plants