germacrene-d and nerolidol

In Brazilian folk medicine,

Topics: Acyclic Monoterpenes; Alkenes; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Burseraceae; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Oils, Volatile; Sesquiterpenes; Sesquiterpenes, Germacrane; Streptococcus mutans; Terpenes

Zornia brasiliensis, popularly known as "urinária", "urinana", and "carrapicho", is a medicinal plant used in Brazilian northeast folk medicine as a diuretic and against venereal diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the chemical composition and antitumor potential of the leaf essential oil of Z. brasiliensis. The essential oil was obtained by hydrodistillation using a Clevenger-type apparatus and analyzed by GC-MS and GC-FID. Its composition was characterized by the presence of trans-nerolidol, germacrene D, trans-caryophyllene, α-humulene, and farnesene as major constituents. In vitro cytotoxicity of the essential oil and some of its major constituents (trans-nerolidol, trans-caryophyllene, and α-humulene) was evaluated for tumor cell lines from different histotypes using the Alamar blue assay. The essential oil, but not the constituents tested, presented promising cytotoxicity. Furthermore, mice inoculated with B16-F10 mouse melanoma were used to confirm its in vivo effectiveness. An in vivo antitumor study showed tumor growth inhibition rates of 1.68-38.61 % (50 and 100 mg/kg, respectively). In conclusion, the leaf essential oil of Z. brasiliensis presents trans-nerolidol, germacrene D, trans-caryophyllene, α-humulene, and farnesene as major constituents and is able to inhibit cell proliferation in cultures as well as in tumor growth in mice.

Topics: Animals; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; Cell Proliferation; Fabaceae; Male; Melanoma, Experimental; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Monocyclic Sesquiterpenes; Oils, Volatile; Phytotherapy; Plant Extracts; Plant Leaves; Plant Oils; Polycyclic Sesquiterpenes; Sesquiterpenes; Sesquiterpenes, Germacrane

The chemical composition and antimicrobial activity studies on the essential oils of Hypericum rochelii Griseb. & Schenk and Hypericum umbellatum A. Kern. have been carried out for the first time. Seventy-nine compounds were identified in the essential oil of H. rochelii with n-nonane (24.7%), β-pinene (22.4%), germacrene D (7.5%), n-undecane (6.8%) and α-pinene (5.8%) as main constituents. One hundred and twenty-six compounds were identified in H. umbellatum essential oil with germacrene D (6.1%), (E)-nerolidol (4.4%), n-nonane (4.0%), (E)-caryophyllene (3.0%) and caryophyllene oxide (3.0%) as the most abundant components. Both oils were characterized by the presence of many components which could have numerous applications in food, pharmaceutical and perfume industries. Taxa studied herein belong to the section Drosocarpium Spach, and their intrasectional placement based on the essential oil profiles was discussed. The oils were tested in a broth microdilution assay against five bacterial and two fungal strains and found to have mainly moderate antimicrobial effects.

Topics: Alkanes; Anti-Infective Agents; Bicyclic Monoterpenes; Bridged Bicyclo Compounds; Hypericum; Monoterpenes; Oils, Volatile; Plant Extracts; Polycyclic Sesquiterpenes; Sesquiterpenes; Sesquiterpenes, Germacrane

The aim of this work was to analyze the essential oil content and its composition in the drug (Serpylli herba) of wild thyme (Thymus serpyllum L.) originating from 20 different natural places of growth in Estonia.. The quantitative content of essential oil was determined according to the method of European Pharmacopoeia. Gas chromatographic analysis of essential oils was carried out using a gas chromatography with flame ionization detector on two fused silica capillary columns with bonded stationary phases NB-30 and SW-10. The identification of the oil components was accomplished by comparing their retention indices on two columns with the retention indices values of standard compounds, with our retention indices data bank and with literature data. The results obtained were confirmed by gas chromatography / mass spectrometry.. The content of essential oil is between 0.6 and 4 ml/kg and usually is not in conformity with European Pharmacopoeia standard (3 ml/kg). There were 55 components identified in the essential oil of wild thyme of Estonian origin. Differently from the data in the literature of foreign countries, thymol and carvacrol are not the main components of the essential oil of wild thyme growing in Estonia. The main components here are (E)-nerolidol, caryophyllene oxide, myrcene, (E)-beta-caryophyllene and germacrene D.. In Estonia, the (E)-nerolidol-caryophyllene oxide, (E)-nerolidol-myrcene and myrcene chemotypes of wild thyme drug are distinguishable.

Topics: Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; Chromatography, Gas; Estonia; Humans; Mass Spectrometry; Oils, Volatile; Polycyclic Sesquiterpenes; Sesquiterpenes; Sesquiterpenes, Germacrane; Thymus Plant