Chemical Composition and Antimicrobial Activity of Essential Oil of Different Parts of Seseli rigidum

The chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of the essential oil of the Balkan endemic species Seseli rigidum Waldst. & Kit. (Apiaceae) was investigated. The monoterpene α-pinene was predominant in the volatile oil from aerial parts (57.4%) and fruit (23.3%). In the essential oil of the aerial parts limonene (6.7%), camphene (5.8%) and sabinene (5.5%) were also present in high amounts, and in the fruit oil, β-phellandrene (17.4%) and sabinene (12.9%). On the contrary, the root essential oil was composed almost entirely of the polyacetylene falcarinol (88.8%). The antimicrobial activity of the root essential oil was significant against Staphylococcus aureus, S. epidermidis, Micrococcus luteus and Enterococcus faecalis (MICs 6.25–25.00 μg/mL). Volatile constituents from the root strongly inhibited the growth of methicillin-resistant strains of S. aureus (MICs 6.25–50.00 μg/mL). Anti-staphylococcal activity can be attributed to the main volatile constituent of S. rigidum root, falcarinol.

Composition and Antimicrobial Activity of Seseli globiferum Essential Oil

The essential oil from aerial parts of Seseli globiferum Vis. obtained by hydrodistillation with Clevenger-type apparatus was analyzed by GC-MS. Twenty-eight compounds were identified, representing 99.4% of the total oil. The main components of the oil were sabinene (38.0%), α-pinene (21.2%) and β-phellandrene (13.5%). The microbial growth inhibitory properties of the isolated essential oil were determined using the broth microdilution method against seven bacterial species: Salmonella typhimurium (ATCC 13311), Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 27853), Enterobacter cloacae (clinical isolates), Bacillus cereus (clinical isolates), Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923), Staphylococcus epidermidis (ATCC 12228), Micrococcus flavus (ATCC 10240) and three fungal species: Aspergillus niger (ATCC 6275), Aspergillus versicolor (ATCC 11730), Trichoderma viride (IAM 5061) and Penicillium funiculosum (ATCC 36839). The essential oil showed activity against bacteria P. aeruginosa, followed by M. flavus, L. monocytigenes and E. coli, and all investigated fungal species.

Composition and Antimicrobial Activity of Seseli montanum subsp. tommasinii Essential Oil

The essential oil isolated from Seseli montanum L. subsp. tommasinii Reich. f. was analyzed by GC/MS and the most abundant components were β-pinene (30.2%), germacrene D (10.1%), sabinene (8.0%), α-pinene (7.2%) and limonene (6.6%). The antimicrobial effect of the essential oil was evaluated against four bacterial and four fungal species among which were food contaminants, spoilage fungi, and plant, fungal and animal pathogens. The oil possessed moderate to strong antimicrobial activity.

Comparison of Hydrodistillation and Headspace Solid-Phase Microextraction Techniques for Antibacterial Volatile Compounds from the Fruits of Seseli Libanotis

The volatile compounds from the fruits of Seseli libanotis, wild-growing in Poland, were obtained by hydrodistillation (HD) and headspace solid-phase microextraction techniques (HS-SPME) and analyzed using GC-MS. A total of 58 components were identified. The most abundant compounds were sabinen and β-phellandrene. MIC (minimal inhibitory concentration) and MBC (minimal bactericidal concentration) values for the essential oil against reference bacterial strains and clinical S. aureus isolates were determined. The essential oil showed better antibacterial activity against the Gram-positive bacteria (MICs between 0.15 to 1.25 mg/mL) when compared with Gram-negative bacteria (MICs between 1.25 to 2.5 mg/mL). The low values of the MBC/MIC ratio suggest that the examined oil behaved as a bactericidal agent.