Elionurus muticus as an alternative source of citral from Pampa biome, Brazil

Phytochemical and Biological Profile of Essential Oils of Elionurus muticus (Spreng.) Growing in Northeastern Argentina

The purpose of this study was to investigate essential oils (EOs) from leaves of Elionurus muticus growing in Northeastern Argentina regarding their physicochemical profiles as well as their biological potential. Roots of a selected E. muticus population were investigated too. For this purpose, EOs of fresh materials were obtained by steam distillation and the chemical composition was characterized by gas chromatography GC/MS-FID. Antibacterial, antioxidant and eco-toxicity activities of the essential oils (EOs) were tested by in vitro assays. The EOs showed three E. muticus chemotypes: citral (neral+geranial), acorenone+bisabolone, acorenone+geranial. EO of roots of citral population contains mainly acorenone derivatives. EOs have high antibacterial effect against Staphylococcus aureus, being found minor antibacterial effect against Gram-negative bacteria. The half-maximal inhibitory concentration of EOs against DPPH⋅ were 7.1-30.0 mg/mL and the eco-toxicity was high with LD₅₀ <39 μg/mL. Based on the findings, given the high variability in their chemical composition and biological activity of E. muticus EO and the promising yields, it could be potentially chosen for industrial applications.

Essential Oils from Two Apiaceae Species as Potential Agents in Organic Crops Protection

Chemical composition and herbicidal, antifungal, antibacterial and molluscicidal activities of essential oils from Choukzerk, Eryngium triquetrum, and Alexander, Smyrnium olusatrum, from western Algeria were characterized. Capillary GC-FID and GC/MS were used to investigate chemical composition of both essential oils, and the antifungal, antibacterial, molluscicidal and herbicidal activities were determined by % inhibition. Collective essential oil of E. triquetrum was dominated by falcarinol (74.8%) and octane (5.6%). The collective essential oil of S. olusatrum was dominated by furanoeremophilone (31.5%), furanodiene+curzurene (19.3%) and (E)-β-caryophyllene (11%). The E. triquetrum oil was tested and a pure falcarinol (99%) showed virtuous herbicidal and antibacterial activities against potato blackleg disease, Pectobacterium atrosepticum, and Gram-negative soil bacterium, Pseudomonas cichorii (85 and 100% inhibition, respectively), and high ecotoxic activity against brine shrimp, Artemia salina, and the freshwater snail, Biomphalaria glabrata, with an IC₅₀ of 0.35 µg/mL and 0.61 µg/mL, respectively. Essential oil of S. olusatrum showed interesting antibacterial and ecotoxic activity and good herbicidal activity against watercress seeds, Lepidium sativum (74% inhibition of photosynthesis, 80% mortality on growth test on model watercress), while the furanoeremophilone isolated from the oil (99% pure) showed moderate herbicidal activity. Both oils showed excellent antifungal activity against Fusarium. Both oils and especially falcarinol demonstrated good potential as new biocontrol agents in organic crop protection.

Biological properties of functional flavoring produced by enzymatic esterification of citronellol and geraniol present in Cymbopogon winterianus essential oil

The chemical composition and biological properties of citronella essential oil were modified by enzymatic esterification reaction of the major monoterpenic alcohols with cinnamic acid. The almost complete conversion of geraniol and citronellol present in the citronella (Cymbopogon winterianus) essential oil, into geranyl (99%) and citronellyl (98%) cinnamates was obtained after 48 hours of reaction using a molar ratio of 3:1 (cinnamic acid/alcohol), lipase concentration (Novozym 435) of 15% (w/w) and 70 °C. The esterified oil showed higher antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus bacteria resistant to oxacillin and penicillin and also greater larvicidal activity against Aedes aegypti larvae compared to unesterified oil. The results concerning the evaluation of toxicity against Artemia salina and cytotoxicity against monkey kidney epithelial cells also showed the superiority of the esterified oil.