germacrene-d and verbenone

As a peculiar folk medicinal plant, Acanthopanax brachypus was widely used to treat various diseases in China. At present, however, there is not a good quality standard for its quality evaluation. In this study, on the basis of the validation tests of precision, stability and repeatability, the chromatographic fingerprint of A. brachypus was established by using gas chromatography (GC)-flame ionization detector (FID) and GC-MS techniques, as well as computer aided similarity evaluation system. Thirty-two different batches of samples collected from the different producing regions and the different parts of A. brachypus were studied. The results showed that the dominant constituents of all oils were monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes, as well as oxygenated monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes. The fingerprinting profiles were found to be consistent for the fresh stem bark acquired from various production areas, 48 common peaks were determined, but the relative abundance of peaks was varied. β-Pinene, linalool, p-cymene, spathulenol, camphene, endo-borneol, verbenone, β-caryophyllene, γ-terpinene, germacrene-D, camphor, β-thujone and β-cadinene were the main constituents of the fresh stem bark oil. Except for the leaf, the chemical components among different medicinal parts of fresh plant were inconsistent with the stem bark. Besides, the varieties and relative levels of chemical components in the fresh stem bark were more abundant than in the dry counterpart. The GC-MS fingerprint can be successfully applied to distinguish the substitute or adulterant, and further assess the differences of A. brachypus grown in various areas of China.

Topics: Acyclic Monoterpenes; Bicyclic Monoterpenes; Bridged Bicyclo Compounds; Cyclohexane Monoterpenes; Cymenes; Eleutherococcus; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; Monoterpenes; Polycyclic Sesquiterpenes; Sesquiterpenes; Sesquiterpenes, Germacrane; Terpenes

This study describes the chemical composition and evaluates the antibacterial and the cytotoxic effects of the essential oil from the flowers of Convolvulus althaeoides. Its chemical composition, determined by GC and GC-MS, is reported for the first time. A total of 24 compounds, accounting for 95.5% of the total oil, have been identified. The oil was characterised by a high proportion of sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (36.3%), followed by oxygenated sesquiterpenes (34.7%) and oxygenated monoterpenes (24.5%). The main compounds were germacrene D (12.5%), T-cadinol (11.8%) and verbenone (6.9%). The essential oil was tested for its antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis and the clinical strain Acinetobacter sp. as well as facts cytotoxic activity towards the human breast cancer cells MCF-7. This oil did not exhibit significant antibacterial activity against the tested bacteria; however, it exerted a significant cytotoxic activity against the tested cell line (IC₅₀ = 8.16 μg/mL).

Topics: Acinetobacter; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; Bicyclic Monoterpenes; Convolvulus; Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; Enterococcus faecalis; Escherichia coli; Female; Flowers; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; Humans; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Monoterpenes; Oils, Volatile; Plant Oils; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Sesquiterpenes; Sesquiterpenes, Germacrane; Staphylococcus aureus; Terpenes; Tunisia