Alejandro Carrasco

Lavandin (Lavandula × intermedia Emeric ex Loiseleur) essential oil from Spain: determination of aromatic profile by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, antioxidant and lipoxygenase inhibitory bioactivities

Lavandin (Lavandula × intermedia Emeric ex Loiseleur) essential oils (EOs), from Abrial, Super and Grosso cultivars, cultivated and extracted in the South East of Spain, were analysed by using GC/MS to determine their composition, in both relative (peak area) and absolute (using standard curves) concentrations. Linalool (34–47%), linalyl acetate (17–34%), camphor (4–9%) and eucalyptol (3–7%) were determined as the main molecules. This characterisation was completed with the enantioselective gas chromatography, where ( − )-linalool, (+)-camphor and ( − )-linalyl acetate were determined as the main components. Antioxidant activity was evaluated positively by several methods: activity against free radicals, chelating and reducing power, probably due to linalool and linalyl acetate. Mild inhibitory activity on lipoxygenase was observed supporting potential anti-inflammatory activity, mainly due to linalool and camphor. These properties support the potential use of L. × intermedia essential oils as natural cosmetic and natural pharmaceutical ingredient to fight several skin diseases.

Salvia officinalis L. Essential Oils from Spain: Determination of Composition, Antioxidant Capacity, Antienzymatic, and Antimicrobial Bioactivities

Four essential oils (EOs) from Salvia officinalis L. cultivated in Spain (Murcia Province) were analyzed by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC/MS) to determine their relative and absolute compositions. The main components were α‐thujone (22.8 – 41.7%), camphor (10.7 – 19.8%), 1,8‐cineole (4.7 – 15.6%), and β‐thujone (6.1 – 15.6%). Enantioselective gas chromatography identified (−)‐α‐thujone and (+)‐camphor as the main enantiomers in all the analyzed EOs. Furthermore, when the EOs were tested to determine their antioxidant activity against free radicals and as ferric reducing and ferrous chelating agents, all were seen to have moderate activity due to the compounds they contained, such as linalool or terpinene. Because of their known relation with inflammatory illnesses and Alzheimers disease, respectively, the inhibition of lipoxygenase and acetylcholinesterase was studied using the EOs. Some individual compounds also inhibited these enzymes. In addition, the studied EOs were able to inhibit the growth of Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Candida albicans. The characterization carried out increases our awareness of the possible uses of S. officinalis EO as natural additives in food, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals.

Composition and Antioxidant, Antienzymatic and Antimicrobial Activities of Volatile Molecules from Spanish Salvia lavandulifolia (Vahl) Essential Oils

The current study describes the composition of Salvia lavandulifolia (Vahl) essential oils (SlEOs) obtained from plants cultivated in Murcia (Spain), as determined by gas chromatography. Relative and absolute concentrations, the enantiomeric ratios of chiral compounds and the in vitro antioxidant, antienzymatic and antimicrobial activities are described. The main components of the SlEOs were camphor, 1,8-cineole, camphene and α-pinene, and the main enantiomers were (+)-camphor and (−)-camphene. The activities against free radicals and the capacity to reduce and chelate metallic ions were measured. SlEO-3 showed the highest activity in ORAC, DPPH, ABTS and reducing power methods, while SlEO-1 exhibited the highest chelating power. The activity of lipoxygenase and acetylcholinesterase could be inhibited by all the SlEOs, being bornyl acetate and limonene the most active individual compounds against lipoxygenase and 1,8-cineole against acetylcholinesterase. SlEOs and some individual compounds inhibited Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans. These results increase our knowledge of SlEOs and, particularly, provide for the first time a complete characterization of SlEOs from Murcia, Spain, while proposing possible biotechnological uses for them.

Thyme essential oils from Spain: Aromatic profile ascertained by GC–MS, and their antioxidant, anti-lipoxygenase and antimicrobial activities

Six samples of red thyme (Thymus zygis) and two samples of winter thyme (Thymus hyemalis) essential oils (EOs) were obtained from plants cultivated in south-eastern Spain and extracted by steam distillation. Analysis by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry detection provided the relative (%) and absolute (mM) concentrations. Thymol (30-54%), p-cymene (14-27%) and γ-terpinene (8-28%) were the most abundant components of T. zygis EO, while 1,8-Cineole (3-37%), p-cymene (1-29%), linalool (8-13%) and thymol (0-19%) were the most abundant components in the case of T. hyemalis EO. Enantioselective gas chromatography identified (-)-linalool, (-)-borneol and (+)-limonene as the main enantiomers. Several methods to evaluate antioxidant capacities were applied to the EOs, concluding that their activities were mainly due to thymol and linalool. The inhibition of lipoxygenase activity, mainly due to thymol, p-cymene and linalool, suggested their possible use as anti-inflammatories. The high antibacterial and antifungal activities determined for the EOs means that they can be used as natural preservatives. The results support the potential use of Thymus sp. EOs as natural food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical ingredients.

Rosmarinus officinalis L. essential oils from Spain: composition, antioxidant capacity, lipoxygenase and acetylcholinesterase inhibitory capacities, and antimicrobial activities

Abstract Six Rosmarinus officinalis L. essential oils (RoEOs) from Murcia (Spain) were studied using gas chromatography. Analysis of their relative and absolute composition showed 1,8-cineole, camphor, α-pinene and camphene to be the main compounds. Moreover, enantioselective gas chromatographies showed different enantiomeric ratios of camphor, limonene and borneol. The antioxidant and chelating capacities of RoEOs and their individual components were measured in an attempt to ascertain the cause of RoEO activity as a whole. All the essential oils were able to inhibit lipoxygenase activity due to bornyl acetate, camphor, terpinen-4-ol and 1,8-cineole and acetylcholinesterase activity due to 3-carene and 1,8-cineole, mainly. When the antimicrobial activities were tested against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans, the least sensitive microorganism was P. aeruginosa and the most sensitive C. albicans. This study furthers our knowledge of six RoEOs from two chemotypes, all of which show potential for industrial applications.

Thymus mastichina L. essential oils from Murcia (Spain): Composition and antioxidant, antienzymatic and antimicrobial bioactivities

The compositions of essential oils (EOs) from Spanish marjoram (Thymus mastichina L.) grown in several bioclimatic zones of Murcia (SE Spain) were studied to determine their absolute and relative concentrations using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. 1,8-Cineole and linalool were the main components, followed by α-pinene, β-pinene and α-terpineol. (–)-Linalool, (+)-α-terpineol and (+)-α-pinene were the most abundant enantiomers. When the antioxidant capacities of T. mastichina EOs and their compounds were measured by five methods, EOs and linalool, linalyl acetate, α-terpinene and γ-terpinene, among others, showed antioxidant activities. All four T. mastichina EOs inhibited both lipoxygenase and acetylcholinesterase activities, and they might be useful for further research into inflammatory and Alzheimer diseases. Bornyl acetate and limonene showed the highest lipoxygenase inhibition and 1,8-cineole was the best acetylcholinesterase inhibitor. Moreover, these EOs inhibited the growth of Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans due to the contribution of their individual compounds. The results underline the potential use of these EOs in manufactured products, such as foodstuff, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.